AFFECTION OF INSECTS FOR THEIR YOUNG. 375 



They have it in their power at least to shorten the 

 term of this misery — to cut off its bitterest moments. 

 A sudden death by their own hands is comparatively a 

 merciful stroke. This is the only alternative ; and thus, 

 in fact, this apparent ferocity is the last effort of tender 

 affection, active even to the end of life. I do not mean to 

 say that this train of reasoning actually passes through 

 the mind of the wasps. It is more correct to regard it 

 as having actuated the benevolent Author of the instinct 

 so singularly, and without doubt so wisely, excited. 

 Were a nest of wasps to survive the winter, they would 

 increase so rapidly, that not only would all the bees, 

 flies, and other animals on which they prey, be extir- 

 pated, but man himself find them a grievous pest. It 

 is necessary, therefore, that the great mass should an- 

 nually perish ; but that they may suffer as little as pos- 

 sible, the Creator, mindful of the happiness of the 

 smallest of his creatures, has endowed a part of the so- 

 ciety, at the destined time, with the wonderful instinct 

 which, previously to their own death, makes them the 

 executioners of the rest. 



Wasps in the construction of their nests have solely 

 in view the accommodation of their young ones; and 

 to these their cells are exclusively devoted. Bees^ on 

 the contrary, (I am speaking of the common hive-bee,) 

 appropriate a considerable number of their cells to the 

 reception of honey intended for the use of the society. 

 Yet the education of the young brood is their chief ob- 

 ject, and to this they constantly sacrifice all personal 

 and selfish considerations. In a new swarm the first 

 care is to build a series of cells to serve as cradles; and 

 little or no honey is collected until an ample store of 



