The Humble-Bee's Cuckoo. 



105 



the habits of the cuckoo among birds to those of the cuckoo-becs^ in their jclation? 

 to the humble-bees. - The bird cuckoo is so unlike^ the smaH birds it victimizes, 

 both in size and colour, that it is not infrequently mistaken for a hawk ; but the 

 cuckoo-bee is so like its victim that only a student of bee-life could tt'll which 

 was which. But if one examines the hind-legs of the two the difference is at once 

 manifest in the presence and absence of the pollen-basket respectively. It was 

 formerly thought that these cuckoo-bees — of which we have hve British species — 

 were merely messmates of the humble-bees, in some wa\' making return for tlunr 

 food and lodging in the humble-bee's nest ; 

 but there can be no doubt that they are actual 

 parasites, thriving at the humble-bee's ex- 

 pense, and bringing about the deterioration or 

 absolute ruin of the colony. The cuckoo-bees 

 are all males and females ; there is no worker 

 class. Each species in colour mimics that 

 S])ecies of humble-bee upon \\hich it sponges, 

 but is usuallv somewhat larger. Why there 

 should be this mimicry is not clear, for it does 

 not impose upon the humble-bee. The mother 

 of the colony detects the cheat, and in some 

 species attempts to eject the intruder. But 

 this appears always to result in the humble- 

 bee being killed, and the progress of the colony 

 checked, of course. This apparently is the 

 cuckoo's object. vShe helps herself to the 

 contents of the honey-pot, and with the 

 humble-bee's wax constructs cells for her own 

 eggs. Her grubs have to be fed by the 

 exertions of the humble-bee workers, and the 

 mother of the colony being dead, there are no 

 more humble-bee eggs to develop into more 

 workers. The presence of cocoons belonging 

 to the cuckoo-bees in the combs of the humble- 

 bees can always be detected by their larger 

 size. 



\\'e lia\'e ph()t()gra})hed side by side one 

 of our commonest species of humble-bees'^ 

 and the particular cuckoo-bee ^ that \-ictimizes "f appi-twigs and branches 

 it. It will be seen that in general a]:)pearance they are exactly alike, and their 

 colouring corresponds. But if attention be directed to the hind-legs an 

 important difference will be noted. The humble-bee has the long, thick 

 joint of the leg broad and Hat, and the breadth is increased for practical 

 purposes by a fringe of long bans. This enables the bee to collect a large 

 quantity of pollen on her visits to the flowers, and she packs it in a large 

 solid lump in thi- open basket. The cuckoo-bee has the corresponding joint 



' Psithvius. - Boml)us. ■' B. lerrestiis. ^ I'.sitliyrus vestalis. 



Pliolo by] JI. liaslin. 



Eggs of the Apple-Sl'cker. 



The first stage in the life-history of the bright httle 

 jumping plant-louse of the apple-tree. The eggs, which 

 are here shown greatly magniheci, are laid on the bark 



