The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1884-01-23
Written for the News
BEES AND BEE CULTURE.
BY c. o. COLLINS.
NO. 9.
DISEASES OF BEES.

Bees like other creatures are sub
iact to various diseases. Not so
much, though, as some animals, on
account of their activity, industry
nd frugality, and that they do not
create for themselves any artificial
wants. Their troubles most occur
from want of care, and negligence
If their owners, The most common
and dreaded diseases are dysentery
and foul brood. Dysentery in bees
IS a profuse, involuntary discharge
Of fecal matter in the hive, resulting
from inability to retain the accumla-
tons in the intestines and rectun
TOR prolonged period, when con
fined by stress of weather in winter
or spring.
It's not in itself a disease aris-
ing from inflammation of the mucous
membranes of the intestines, for il
relieved by a seasonable change oil
weather, which enables the bees, 10
fly out and void their fecus, all un-
favorable symptoms at once disap-
pears, and the colony remains
healthy. But continued confne-
ment after the involuntary discharges
have taken place, and prolonged ex
posure to the foul air thus generated,
debilitates the bees and causes the
mortality which so rapidly depopu-
lates the hive. The length Of time
during which bees can be confined
without inconvenience depends
greatly on circumstances. They
may endure it for ten or twelve
weeks whoiely uninjured, or they
may be fatally affected ifshut in only
few days. This depends largely
upon the charater and condition of
their food, ,and the amount consumed,
and the condition of the air and the
degree of cold to which they are
exposed. When they have access to
pure uncandied honey, breathe a
pure dry atmosphere and are kept
quiet, and in a uniform, moderate
temperature, the consumption of food
and consequent accumulation Of ex-
ecrement will be small and prolonged
confinement will not be hurtful to
them. But when the honey they
consume in winter is thin and watery
or was gathered from evergreens,
heath flowers, and honey dews, and
lssuucspped in the cells, dysentery
is almost sure to follow. So, also,
when the colony is subjected to fire.
luent disturbance, rOusing and ex-
citing the bees, or where the changes
of temperature are frequent and
great, or where the general temper
tlre is very high or very low, or
there is a superabundance of mois-
ture in the hives, So far as it is in
his power the aliarian should guard
against these unfavorable conditions.
Exposure to cold and hunger will be
followed by dysentery, and if immed
lately after gorging themselves with
honey, they be placed in a tempera
ture of from 50 degrees to SIS de.
| grees they will be subject to dysen
terry in a very short time, DysenterJ
is more apt to occur in weak colon
les, or hives poorly protected from
| cold, because of the greater quantity
of honey consumed for the purpose
Of generating animal heat. Will,
this object is attained, in part, rapic
digestion overloads the iutestinet
with fecal matter and produces
general relaxation of the system l
is held by some bee men that from
atmospheric causes, dysentery be
comes epidemic, affecting the apiar
les in a wide range of country
| Whether this is correct or not, W.
know that there has been years o
gre&t mortality among bees from thi
cause, when hundreds Of apiaric
were left without a single colony, anC
all suffered to a greater or less eX
tent.
have said that honey dew wa