168 SOCIAL LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD 



shape of certain homoeopathic phials, with oval bodies 

 surmounted by a tapering neck. By the extremity of 

 the neck, which is blackened and hardened by the 

 dejecta of the larvae, the cocoon is fixed to the end of 

 the cell without any other support. It reminds one of a 

 short club, planted by the end of the handle, in a line 

 with the horizontal axis of the cell. Other cells contain 

 the larva in a stage more or less advanced. The grub 

 is eating the last victim proffered ; around it lie the 

 remains of food already consumed. Others, again, show 

 me a bee, a single bee, still intact, and having an egg 

 deposited on the under-side of the thorax. This bee 

 represents the first instalment of rations ; others will 

 follow as the grub matures. My expectations are thus 

 confirmed ; as with Bembex, slayer of Diptera, so Philan- 

 thus, killer of bees, lays her egg upon the first body stored, 

 and completes, at intervals, the provisioning of the cells. 

 The problem of the dead bee is elucidated ; there 

 remains the other problem, of incomparable interest — 

 Why, before they are given over to the larvae, are the 

 bees robbed of their honey ? I have said, and I repeat, 

 that the killing and emptying of the bee cannot be 

 explained solely by the gluttony of the Philanthus. To 

 rob the worker of its booty is nothing ; such things are 

 seen every day ; but to slaughter it in order to empty its 

 stomach — no, gluttony cannot be the only motive. And 

 as the bees placed in the cells are squeezed dry no less 

 than the others, the idea occurs to me that as a beef- 

 steak garnished with confitures is not to every one's taste, 

 so the bee sweetened with honey may well be distasteful 

 or even harmful to the larvae of the Philanthus. What 

 would the grub do if, replete with blood and flesh, it wef«- 



