152 THE STREPSIPTERA, 



terminated by small pads^ by means of whicli tbe 

 little creatures are enabled to run about freely upon 

 the abdomen of the bee in which their mother is 

 parasitic ; and so numerous are they in general, that, 

 according to Mr. Smith, this portion of the infested 

 animal often appears as if it were dusted over with a 

 whitish powder, from the crowds of these minute 

 larvae borne upon its surface. The latter were long 

 regarded as parasites upon the parasitic larva, as the 

 female was always supposed to be, although their 

 constant occurrence and other circumstances led Mr. 

 Westwood long since to surmise the true state of 

 the case. 



The further history of these larvse may be dis- 

 missed in a few words. Carried about from flower to 

 flower amongst the hairs of the bee, some of them 

 are left behind at each visit made by the latter, when 

 their activity renders it an easy matter for them to 

 attach themselves to the body of the next comer. 

 By this they are unconsciously conveyed to its nest, 

 where they bury themselves in the bee-larva, lose 

 their legs, become converted into maggot-like crea- 

 tiu'es, and remain feeding upon the substance of their 

 unfortunate host until they have attained their full 

 development. It is remarkable that although three 

 or four of these parasites not unfrequently derive 

 their nourishment from the same bee, they do not, 

 like most other parasitic insects, destroy their victim 

 before it arrives at the perfect state ; on the contrary, 

 the Stylopized Bees, as they are called, fly about 

 with the same agility as those which are free from 

 such unwelcome guests, and it appears that the most 

 important injury done to them by the parasites is the 

 prevention of the development of the sexual organs. 



