THE ADVENTURES OF A GRUB 115 



a lightning-flash thousands of Anthophorae were flying hither 

 and thither in search of booty : thousands of others, also, 

 were arriving, laden with honey, or with mortar for their 

 building. 



At that time I knew comparatively little about these 

 insects. It seemed to me that any one who ventured into the 

 swarm, or above all who laid a rash hand on the Bees' 

 dwellings, would instantly be stabbed by a thousand stings. 

 I had once observed the combs of the Hornet too closely ; 

 and a shiver of fear passed through me. 



Yet, to find out what I wished to know, I must needs 

 penetrate that fearsome swarm ; I must stand for whole 

 hours, perhaps all day, watching the works I intended to 

 upset ; lens in hand, I must examine, unmoved amid the 

 whirl, the things that were happening in the cells. More- 

 over, the use of a mask, of gloves, of a covering of any kind, 

 was out of the question, for my fingers and eyes must be 

 absolutely free. No matter : even though I should leave 

 the Bees' nest with my face swollen beyond recognition, I 

 was determined that day to solve the problem that had puzzled 

 me too long. 



Having caught a few stray Anthophorae with my net, I 

 satisfied myself that the Sitaris-larvae were perched, as I 

 expected, on the Bees. 



I buttoned my coat tightly and entered the heart of the 

 swarm. With a few blows of the mattock I secured a lump 

 of earth, and to my great surprise found myself uninjured. 

 A second expedition, longer than the first, had the same 

 result : not a Bee touched me with her sting. After this I 

 remained permanently in front of the nest, removing lumps 

 of earth, spilling the honey, and crushing the Bees, without 

 arousing anything worse than a louder hum. For the Antho- 

 phora is a pacific creature. When disturbed in the cells it 

 leaves them hastily and escapes, sometimes even mortally 

 wounded, without using its venomous sting except when it 

 is seized and handled. 



