12 • Texas Agricultural Experiment Station 



When the center of the empty comb is reached, holes are cut through 

 the bottoms of the cell walls and the larvae leave their tunnels and 

 wander along, the mid-rib from cell to cell. At this time the old tunnel 

 serves as a shelter and it is enlarged. The material thrown out falls- 

 on the bottom of the cells. This refuse is about four-fifths chewed 

 and webbed wax and one-fifth excrement. When the comb is disturbed^ 

 the larvae may run through three or four cells to their tunnels. At 

 first only holes are eaten through the cells, but in a few days lines of 

 web can be seen outlining the passageway from cell to cell. The holes 

 are enlarged to admit free passage of the growing larvae. The silk 

 spun by the larvae is numerous enough in the course of a few days ta 

 form a gallery which gives very good protection. If the larvae are- 

 shaken from the comb they seem lost for a time but shortly proceed 

 in the direction of the comb. What causes them invariably to seek the- 

 comb it is impossible to say. If they encounter refuse before reaching 

 the comb, they will avail themselves of such shelter. At all times the 

 larvae avoid light as much as possible. When disturbed, the larvae will 

 often drop by means of a thread. In this way they return to the- 

 exact place of feeding. 



Prom this central gallery the feeding is extended out along the bot- 

 toms of the cells or the middle of the comb. The silk is spun wherever 

 the larvae go, so that very soon the bottoms of the cells are replaced by 

 a layer of silk thread covered with excrement of the larvae and particles- 

 of chewed wax. The time required for this varies, of course, with the 

 temperature. 



After the mid-rib has been eaten, the larvae start on the walls of the 

 cells, the ones farthest away from the light being the first destroyed. 

 As this feeding continues along the cell walls, the threads of silk are 

 extended to cover the new feeding ground, and not only serve to protect 

 the larvae but also act as a scaffold to support the damaged cells. Soon 

 the center of the. comb appears as a mass of tangled refuse and dis- 

 carded wax. The feeding is at times that of a colony all working com- 

 paratively close together. At various places through the comb there 

 are constructed false cocoons that serve as a protection to the larvae 

 while they are resting during the day. When small pieces of comb 

 were used, the larvae would leave the comb during the day and remain 

 in well constructed galleries in the refuse under the comb. After the 

 larvae were three-fourths grown, they worked practically none during 

 the day although the cages were darkened. At night the gnawing of 

 the larvae was distinctly audible. Dark comb is preferred for feeding 

 to light comb. When small pieces of comb were used and additional 

 food was necessary, another piece of empty comb was placed under the 

 old comb. The larvae would immediately attack the new comb, going 

 to the bottom of the cells, eating the mid-rib, lower cells, then upper 

 cells, exactly as the first piece of comb was eaten. 



The feeding continued until the walls were entirely eaten, but the 

 top of the cells was never eaten, perhaps because this would expose them 



