Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-05-21

ground In search of myriapods or
thousand-legs. The chief complaint |
against the species by both profess
sional beekeepers and others has
been that 1t preys largely upon honey
bees. One bee raiser in Iowa, sus-
pecting the kingbirds OF feeding upon
his bees, shot a number near his
hives; but when the stomachs of the
birds were examined by an expert en-
tomologist, not a trace of honeybees
could be found.
An examination of SOS stomachs
collected in various parts of the coun-
try was made by the biological survey,
but only 20 were found to contain re-
mains of honeybees. In these 20 stom-
achs there were in all 81 honeybees,
of which 81 we're drones, were GER
tainly workers, and the remaining two
we're too badly broken to be further
identified.
The insects that constitute the
great bulk of the food are noxious
species, largely beetles-May beetles,
click beetles (the larvae of which are
known as wireworms), weevils, which
prey upon fruit and grain, and a host
Of others. Wasps, wild bees and ants
are conspicuous elements Of the food,
far outnumbering the hive bees. Dur
ing summer many grasshoppers and
crickets, as well as leaf hoppers and
other bugs, also are eaten. In the
stomachs examined were a number of
robber fies-inseets which prey large
Iy upon other insects, especially honey
bees, and which are know to commit
in this way extensive depredations. 1t
is thus evident that the kingbird, by
destroying these flies, actually does
good work for the apiarist. The 26
robber flies found in the stomachs may
be considered more than an equiva-
lent for the eight worker honeybees
already mentioned. A few caterpil-
lars are eaten, mostly belonging to
the group commonly known as cut
worms. all the species of which are
harmful.
About IL per cent of the food con-
sists Of small native fruits. comprising
some thirty common species OF the
roadsides and thickets, as dogwood
berries, elderberries and wild grapes.
The kingbird is not reported as eating
cultivated fruit to an injurious extent,
and it is very doubtful if this is ever
he case.
In the western states the Arkansas
kingbird is not SO domestic in its hab,
It's as its eastern relative, preferring
to live among scattering oaks on
4 La
chards about buildings. The work II
does, however, in the destruction oil
noxious insects fully equals that oil
any member of its family. Like other
hycatchers. it subsists mostly upon in
sects taken in midair, though 1t eats
number of grasshoppers, probably
taken from the ground. The bulk oil
; its food consists of beetles, bugs
wasps and wild bees. Like its east
ern representative, 1t has been accused
of feeding to an injurious extent upoI
the honeybee. In an examination d
SO stomachs of this bird, great car.
was taken to identity every insect o.
fragment that had any resemblance {,
: a honeybee; as a result, 80 honeybeeI
were identified, of which 20 werl
males or drones, and one a worker
These were contained in four stom
achs. and we're the sole contents O
: three; in the fourth they constitute,
/ 80 per cent of the food. It is eviden
that the bee-eating habit is only coca
n sional and accidental, rather tina
: habitual; and it is also evident tina
if this ratio of drones to workers wer
maintained. the bird would be of NOR
benefit than harm to the apiary.
The Cassin kingbird has a NOR
southerly range than the Arkansa
), fiycatcher. Examination of a numbe
g of stomaehs shows that its food habit
n are similar to those Of others Of Ii
Il group.
e Three points seem to be clearly e
tablished in regard to the food of 5
kingbirds-(I that about 30 per cer
consists of insects. mostly iniurior
Is species; ~ that the alleged habit .
" preying upon honeybees Is much lie.
n prevalent than has been supposed. an
probably does not result In any gre.