254 



TRANSFORMATIONS OF INSECTS. 



humble bee of our gardens. It enters the subterranean nests of 

 this species, lays its eggs, and then returns to the fields. 



The habits of the common hive bees, and their methods of cell 

 building, are so well known, that it is not necessary to describe them 



Psithyj-HS vcstalis. 



here. It is a curious fact that many virgin bees lay eggs whence 

 male larvae are always derived, and that this female after fe- 

 cundation lays other eggs which turn into workers and fertile 

 females. This faculty forms part of the phenomena of partheno- 

 genesis, which have been so carefully studied of late years. Hive 

 bees when wild establish themselves in cavities, such as those 



