Mysteries of Bee-keeping ExplainedQuinby, M. (Moses)
Science
Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained
Quinby, M. (Moses)
Bees
Spiders are a source of considerable annoyance to the apiarian, as well
as to the bees; not so much on account of the number of bees consumed,
as their habit of spinning a web about the hive, that will occasionally
take a moth, and will probably entangle fifty bees the whilst. They are
either in fear of the bees, or they are not relished as food;
particularly, as a bee caught in the morning is frequently untouched
during the day. This web is often exactly before the entrance,
entangling the bees as they go out and return; irritating and hindering
them considerably. They often escape after repeated struggles. I have
removed a web from the same place every morning, for a week, that was
renewed at night with astonishing perseverance! I can generally look
out his hiding-place, which is in some corner near by, and dispatch
him. His redeeming qualities are few, and are more than balanced by the
evil, as far as I have discovered. Their sagacity in some instances
will find a place of concealment not easily discovered. At the approach
of cold weather, the box or chamber of the hive being a little warmer
than other places, will attract a great many there to deposit their
eggs. Little piles of webbing or silk may be seen attached to the top
of the hive, or sides of boxes. These contain eggs for the next year's
brood. This is the time to destroy them and save trouble for the
future.
If we combine into one phalanx all the depredators yet named, and
compare their ability for mischief with the wax moth, we shall find
their powers of destruction but a small item! Of the moth itself we
would have nothing to fear were it not for her progeny, that consist of
a hundred or a thousand vile worms, whose food is principally wax or
comb.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account