The Glow-Worm and Other Beetles 



Anthophora, are always free from parasites. 

 It is therefore during the laying, or after- 

 wards, when the Anthophora is occupied in 

 plastering the door of the cell, that the young 

 larva gains admittance. It is impossible to 

 decide by experiment to which of these two 

 periods we must ascribe the introduction of 

 the Sitares into the cell; for, however peace- 

 able the Anthophora may be, it is evident 

 that we cannot hope to witness what happens 

 in the cell at the moment when she is laying 

 an egg or at the moment when she is making 

 the lid. But a few attempts will soon con- 

 vince us that the only second which would 

 allow the Sitaris to establish itself in the 

 home of the Bee is the very second when the 

 egg is laid on the surface of the honey. 



Let us take an Anthophora-cell full of 

 honey and furnished with an egg and, after 

 removing the lid, place it in a glass tube with 

 a few Sitaris-grubs. The grubs do not ap- 

 pear at all eager for this wealth of nectar 

 placed within their reach; they wander at ran- 

 dom about the tube, run about the outside 

 of the cell, sometimes happen upon the edge 

 of the orifice and very rarely venture inside. 

 When they do, they do not go far in and 

 they come out again at once. If one happens 

 to reach the honey, which only half fills the 



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