LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 175 



is made under ground, and entered by a long, 

 winding passage, just wide enough for two bees 

 to pass each other. 



Here her little family, composed of males, 

 females, and workers, grows up around her. 

 After this, like the mother of the hive bees, she 

 always remains at home ; but, unlike her, she, 

 as well as every other individual of the family, 

 takes her share in the labors of the household. 

 There are no idlers, no drones, among them. 



The cells are irregularly formed, and are com- 

 posed of brown wax. 



There is a sort of mite which frequently gets 

 upon the body of the humble bee, and annoys 

 it exceedingly. When one of them is thus in- 

 fested, it goes to an ant hill, and there kicks and 

 scratches, and makes such a terrible fuss, that 

 it disturbs the little family below, and brings 

 some of them out of the nest to see what is the 

 matter. They soon perceive the mites on the 

 body of the bee, and gathering around him, 

 quickly take them off. Both are thus benefitted. 

 The bee flies away, happy enough to get rid of 

 his tormentors ; and the ants are supplied with 

 a comfortable meal. 



*ftnna. How funny that is. 



