Natural History of Bee Moth. 



409 



the bottom board in case the moth larvse are at work. Soon, 

 in three or four weeks, the larvae are full grown (Fig. 

 191 ). Now the six jointed and the ten prop-legs — making 

 sixteen in all, the usual number possessed by caterpillars — 



Fig. 189. 



Fig. 190. 



are plainly vibible. These larva; are about an inch long, 

 and show by their plump appearance that they at least can 

 digest comb. However, though these are styled wax-moths 

 they must have either pollen or dead bees to mingle with 



Fig. iQi. 



their wax. While it is true that there is a little nitrogenous 

 material in wax, there is not enough so that even the wax- 

 moth larva could thrive on it alone. They now spin their 

 cocoons, either in some crevice about the hive, or, if very 

 numerous, singly (Fig. 192, a) or in clusters (Fig. 192, 3) 



