The Life of the Fly 



Wasp than does the fat Volucella zonaria. 

 Despite this resemblance, if she rashly venture 

 on the combs, she is stabbed and slain. Her 

 yellow sashes, her slender abdomen deceive no- 

 body. The stranger is recognized behind the 

 features of a double. 



My experiments under glass, which varied 

 according to the captures which I happened to 

 make, all lead me to this conclusion : as long as 

 there is more propinquity, even around the 

 honey, the other occupants are tolerated fairly 

 well; but, if they touch the cells, they are as- 

 saulted and often killed, without distinction of 

 shape or costume. The grubs' dormitory is 

 the sanctum sanctorum which no outsider must 

 enter under pain of death. 



'With these caged captives I experiment by 

 daylight, whereas the free Wasps work in the 

 absolute darkness of their underground re- 

 treat. Where light is absent, colour goes for 

 nothing. Once, therefore, that she has entered 

 the cavern, the Bumble-bee Fly derives no 

 benefit from her yellow bands, which are sup- 

 posed to be her safeguard. Whether garbed 

 as she is or otherwise, it is easy for her to 

 effect her purpose in the dark, on condition 

 that she avoids the tumultuous interior of the 

 Wasps' nest. So long as she has the prudence 



260 



