ENEMIES OF BEES. 



calamity. KUHN speaks of its having been no- 

 ticed in the apiaries of some monks at the close 

 of the last century, as well as in the bee-houses 

 of other persons : and CAMPBELL, in his Travels, 

 mentions it as plundering the wild bees in Africa 

 of their honey. This moth makes its appear- 

 ance towards the close of summer : it has the 

 faculty of emitting a shrill mournful cry, which, 

 when threatened by the vengeance of the bees, has 

 the power of disarming their fury. It operates 

 upon them like the voice of their queen, and thus 

 enables the moth to commit the greatest ravages 

 in the hives, with perfect impunity. Huber as- 

 certained that it could not produce the same effect 

 upon humble-bees ; for whenever their nests are 

 entered by one of these insects, it is immediately 

 attacked and driven out. One that Huber in- 

 troduced into a nest of humble-bees was actually 

 stung to death by them, but not till many wounds 

 had been inflicted upon its most sensible part, the 

 belly. On dissecting one of these moths, he found 

 a table- spoonful of pure honey in its abdomen. 

 The proceedings of bees, when attacked by the 

 Sphinx Atropos, as detailed in the Chapter on 

 Instincts, will suggest to the apiarian the best plan 

 to be adopted, whenever this formidable insect 

 shall invade their territories. 



