282 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. X, 



Any eggs or larvae which may fall from their cells to the lower 

 combs or floor of the nest, are carried out of the nest by the 

 workers. The larvae are fed on pollen and a fluid prepared by 

 the queen and workers. Mr. Sladen {The Humble-bee, p. 28) 

 vsays that this liquid food is a mixture of honey and pollen. In 

 cells containing larvae more than half-grown, a small hole is 

 visible in the top of the cell. Through this opening, which is 

 often the size of a common pin-head, the rapidly growing 

 larvae are fed. After a larva has just been fed, by pulling back 

 the upper covering of the cell, one can see the liquid food 

 injected by the queen or worker. This liquid food is often 

 deposited in the hollow formed in the center of the curled larva, 

 the larva of this species at this stage of development resting on 

 one side. Before changing to a pupa, however, the larva assumes 

 an upright position; the head end, which is at the top of the 

 cocoon, being bent over and downward. Dwarf adults are, at 

 least in many cases, the result of improper feeding, due to a bad 

 position in the comb. Whether the workers and queens are 

 the results of special feeding, as in the case of the honey bee, I 

 am unable at present to say. The full grown larvae of B. 

 auricomus average 26 mm. in length and 6 mm. in width. The 

 larva has a delicate, white skin, and presents in general, except 

 in being much larger, the appearance of the larva of the honey 

 bee. The fully grown larva spins its cocoon about three days 

 before pupation. 



After the cocoon is spun, the wax and pollen still clinging to 

 it are removed by the workers or queen. The size of the cocoon 

 enables one, in many instances, to separate the cocoons of the 

 various castes from one another. The cocoons are light yellow- 

 ish brown in color; thin-walled, and lack somewhat the tough- 

 ness of the cocoons of B. pennsylvariiciis. The following is a 

 table of measurements of the cocoons of all three castes. 



Largest Cocoon. 

 Drone 13 mm. wide and 19 mm. high. 

 Worker 12 mm. wide and 15 mm. high. 

 Queen 15 mm. wide and 23 mm. high. 



Smallest Cocoon. 

 Drone 11 mm. wide and 17 mm. high. 

 Worker 7 mm. wide and 13 mm. high. 

 Queen 13 mm. wide and 21 mm. high. 



Average Cocoon. 

 Drone 12 plus mm. wide and IS pkis mm. high. 

 Worker 9 phis mm. wide and 14^ plus mm. high. 

 Queen 13^ plus mm. wide and 22 plus mm. high. 



