198 



iACIIIXIJ) PARASITI-: OF ]5KK 



cio-ar-shaped eoos, eagli one of Avhich measures 06 mm. by 

 '14: mm. (Fig. 4). At the junction of the short oviducts there 

 are three conspicuous brown spermathecae, spherical in shape, 

 and measuring- about 2 mm. in diameter. From this point 

 a long, slender, much-coiled tube, 50 to GO mm. in length 

 and with muscular walls, leads to the ovipositor. There is 

 one pair of accessory glands. Avhich join the oviducts at the 

 point Avhere they fuse. 



If one of the females haunting the hives be caught and 

 dissected, a very different condition of the reproductive 

 organs is found. The ovaries have quite disappeared, and 

 the long, slender tube mentioned above is found to be crowded 



Fig. -t. — liondaniorrstni.'^ apivonis. Reproductive organs of 

 iiiifertilised female. 



Fig. 5.- — Ttondan'toccsf lu-i opivorwi. Newly-hatched larva. 



Fig. 6. — Ifondaiiioccstrus apicorus. Reproductive organs of 

 fertilised female. 



Avith a large number of living larvae. In some females these 

 newly-hatched larvae are so numerous that tiie oviduct bulges 

 with tliem irregularly throughout its length, but in others 

 (individuals that are almost spent) comparatively few larvae 

 are found crowded together in the vagina (Fig. 0). 



If one of the females resting on a hive be watched, it 

 will be found that after re.sting for a few moments she rises 

 on the wing- and hovers just above the entrance with her head 

 pointing towards the hive. In a few seconds she commences 

 to swcop down on the incoming bees, lightly touching each 

 one with the tip of her abdomen. The movement is very 

 svvift, and difficult to fnlloAv, The bees are very lightly 

 touched, for only a few of them are thrown off their balance 

 and fall on the alighting board. The nmjority of them fly 

 straight into the hive as though nothing had liappened. After 



