292 INSECT ARTIZANS AND THEIR WORK 



and with the Humble Bee's wax constructs cells 

 for her own eggs. Her grubs have to be fed by 

 the exertions of the Humble Bee workers, and the 

 mother of the colony being dead, there are no 

 more Humble Bee eggs to develop into more 

 workers. The presence of cocoons belonging to the 

 Cuckoo Bees in the combs of Bombus can always 

 be detected* by their larger size. 



The Humble Bees have other intruders in their 

 nests. Among them in this country is a curious 

 creature (Mutilla) whose wingless female in form 

 much resembles a large ant, but its hairy covering, 

 brightly coloured, gives it a likeness to a bee. Its 

 affinities are really closer with the digging wasps 

 (F os sores). They are very rarely seen, except by 

 those whose studies lead them to explore the nests 

 of wild bees. The wingless female with eggs to 

 lay crawls into the nest of the Humble Bee, finds 

 out the bee-grub in its cell, and, it is supposed, 

 pierces the body of the grub and lays an egg inside 

 it. 



In about three days the egg hatches and the 

 Mutilla gradually consumes the bee larva, and 

 when it has completed its destructive work it spins 

 a cocoon inside the skin of its victim. When it 

 has run through its course and arrived at the 

 ultimate stage, if a male, it soon leaves the nest ; 

 but the females regale themselves at the Humble 

 Bee's honey-pot before seeking adventures outside. 

 Another burrowing wasp (Sapyga) instead of 

 making a burrow for itself, as its kindred do, takes 



