62 BEES. 



clirysalis it still requires attention. Before it changes, it 

 sliould be placed upon some damp earth, into which it will 

 speedily burrow. The earth must always be kept damp, 

 as otherwise the case of the chrysahs will become so hard 

 that the imprisoned moth will not be able to escape, when 

 its time arrives for transformation into its wing-ed state. 

 I have in my possession three splendid chrysalides, all of 

 which died on account of the dryness of the earth, and in 

 two of them the moth was perfectly formed, and ready to 

 escape. I have also a moth with a perfect body and 

 limbs, but with its wings stunted and shrivelled like wet 

 blotting-paper for the same reason. If the hives are 

 placed near a potato-ground, the owner may be sure that 

 the death's-head moth is not very far off, and will if it can 

 invade the innermost recesses of his hives. But of course 

 the bees do not submit quietly to all this. No, their 

 military genius now shines forth brilliantly. They barri- 

 cade themselves; they erect formidable fortifications of the 

 most impregnable wax at the entrance of the hive, so that 

 only one or two workers can pass at a time, and the sphinx 

 never. It is worthy of observation, that it is only after 

 they have suffered that they erect these barricades; and 

 then they only keep them whilst required, and whilst they 

 are productive of no inconvenience. 



The waxen barriers constructed by the bees are scarcely 

 formidable enough to keep out such determined and per- 

 severing foes as the pirate-bees, wasps, and moths, who are 

 always on the watch for a opportunity of gaining the 

 interior of the hive. During the seasons when the bees are 

 most exposed to the attacks of these their insect foes, it 

 will often be found useful to form artificial barriers at the 

 entrance of the hive, so that a single sentinel can guard 

 the door. It may also prove advantageous if the guard, 

 which is usually made of a flat piece of metal placed over 

 the orifice of the hive, so pierced as only to permit the 

 passage of two bees at the same time, were made more in 

 the form of a tunnel or tube. A tube is useful because 

 a particularly hungry, or particularly savage marauder-bee 

 or wasp, will sometimes make a bold dash through the 

 sentinels, and make good its entrance in spite of both sen- 

 tinels and barriers. When, however^ it sees a long and 



