ENEMIES OF BEES. 



235 



As the instincts of the flesh-fly direct her to a putrid 

 carcass to deposit her eggs, that her offspring may have 

 their proper food^ so the moth seeks the hive contaiiiing 

 combs,- where the natural food of her progeny is at hand. 

 During the day a rusty brown miller, with wings close to 

 the body, may be often seen lying perfectly motionless, on 

 the corner of a hive, or on the under- edge of the top, 

 where it projects over. They are more frequent at the 

 corners than anywhere else, one-third of their length pro- 

 jecting beyond it, appearing much like a sliver on the 

 edge of a board that is somewhat weather-beaten. 



Fig. 37. — BEE MOTH— TWO -MALES AND ONE FEMALE. 



Their color so closely, resembles old wood, that I have 

 no doubt their enemies are often deceived, and they thus 

 escape with their lives. As soon as darkness shuts out the 

 view, and there is no danger of their m.ovements being 

 discovered, they throw off their inactivity,. and commence 

 searching for a place to deposit their eggs, and woe to the 

 stock- that has not bees sufficient to keep them from the 

 coinb. Although their larvss generally has a skin that the 

 bee cannot pierce with its sting, it is not so with the moth, 

 and they seem to be aware of the fact, for whenever a bee 

 approaches, they dart away with a speed ten times greater 



