BEES AND WASPS WARS. 169 



war is plunder ; and facts now well substantiated by 

 numberless observers concerning ' robber-bees ' indicate 

 a large measure of intelligence. These aim at lessening 

 their labour in collecting honey by plundering the store 

 of other hives. The robberies may be conducted singly or 

 in concert. When the thieving propensity is developed 

 only in individual cases, the thieves cannot rely on force 

 in plundering a foreign state, and so resort to cautious 

 stealth. ' They show by their whole behaviour creeping 

 into the hive with careful vigilance that they are per- 

 fectly conscious of their bad conduct ; whereas the workers 

 belonging to the hive fly in quickly and openly, and in 

 full consciousness of their right.' If such solitary burglars 

 are successful in obtaining plunder, their bad example 

 leads other members of their own community to imitate 

 them ; thus it is that the whole bee-nation may de- 

 velop marauding habits, and when they do this they act 

 in concert to rob by force. In this case an army of bees 

 precipitates itself upon the foreign hive, a battle ensues, 

 and if successful in overcoming resistance, the invaders 

 first of all search out the queen-bee and put her to death, 

 whereby they disorganise their enemies and plunder the 

 hive with ease. It is observed that when this policy is once 

 successful, the spirit of aggrandisement is encouraged, so 

 that the robber-bees ' find more pleasure in robbery than 

 in their own work, and become at last formidable robber- 

 states.' When an invaded hive is fairly overcome by 

 the invaders killing the queen, the owners of the hive, 

 finding that all is lost, not only abandon further resistance, 

 but very often reverse their policy and join the ranks of 

 their conquerors. They assist in the tearing down of 

 their cells, and in the conveyance of the honey to the 

 hive of their invaders. 'When the assailed hive is 

 emptied, the next ones are attacked, and if no effective 

 resistance is offered, are robbed in similar fashion, so that 

 in this way a whole bee-stand may be gradually destroyed.' 

 Siebold observed the same facts in the case of wasps 

 (Polistes gallica). If, however, the battle turns in favour 

 of the defenders, they pursue the flying legions of their 

 enemies to a distance from their home. It sometimes 



