WILD BEES 47 



in various stages of development before they spin 

 their cocoons. The queen generally lays in one of 

 the little recesses formed where two or more cocoons 

 join, and the eggs are afterwards covered with a 

 thin layer of wax and pollen, which the bees add to 

 as the larvae inside increase in bulk. Instead of 

 each grub occupying a separate cell, like those of 

 the hive species, many are here wrapped together 

 under a common blanket. It is easy to expose the 

 eggs or larvae underneath by raising the thin covering 

 of wax with the point of a long needle, and it is 

 amusing to see how the bees crowd excitedly round, 

 and in a few moments repair the damage under 

 one's eyes. They show some suspicion of outside 

 influence, and even bite inquiringly at the needle 

 as if not altogether satisfied that its innocent-looking 

 exterior may not be a cover for hostile intentions. 

 Some time ago, being curious to see, amongst other 

 things, whether the young of the hive bee could 

 be reared under the same conditions as those of 

 the humble bee, and vice versa, I made some trials 

 with the eggs and larvae of each. Among other 

 experiments I placed some larvae of the hive bee in 

 one of the nests of the humble bees. Having care- 

 fully removed part of the waxen covering of one 

 of the little groups of larvae, I placed a grub taken 

 fresh from the hive amongst the others, and covered 

 the whole roughly up again, expecting that as usual 

 the bees would complete the repairs, and so seal 

 up the intruder with the others. I was, however, 

 disappointed ; they were not to be cheated in this 

 way, and they would not repair the Broken wax 

 until they had smelt out the stranger, whom they 

 dragged out and carried outside the nest, after 



