462 ENEMIKS OP BEES. 



the five pairs of hind ones, are delineated. The tail is also 

 furnished with two of these legs. The breathing holes are 

 seen on the back. 



807. Wax is the chief food of these worms, but as Dr. 

 Donhoff says: "Larvae fed exclusively on pure wslx -will 

 die, wax being a non-nitrogenous (221) substance, and 

 not furnishing the aliment required for their perfect devel- 

 opment ;" and his statement agrees with the fact that their 

 larvie prefer the brood-combs, which are lined with the skins 

 cast awaj' by the bee-larvie (167), and which, in conse- 

 quence, are more liable to be devoured than the new ones. 

 In fact, they eat pollen and propolis, and while making their 

 cocoons, they even seem to relish woody fibre, for they 

 often eat into the wood of the frames or of the hives in which 

 they are allowed to propagate, while comb-foundation re- 

 mains almost untouched by them. 



808. When obliged to steal their living among a strong 

 colony of bees, they seldom fare well enough to reach the 

 size which they attain when rioting at pleasure among the full 

 combs of a discouraged population. In about three weeks, 

 the larvse stop eating, and seek a suitable place for encas- 

 ing themselves in their silky shroud. In hives where they 

 reign unmolested, almost any place will answer their pur- 

 pose, and they often pile their cocoons upon 6ne another, 

 or join them together in long rows. They sometimes oc- 

 cupy the empty combs, so that their cocoons resemble the 

 capping of the honey-cells. In Fig. 193, Mr. Tidd has 

 given a drawing, accurate in size and form, of a curious 

 instance of this kind. The black spots, resembling grains 

 of gunpowder, are the excrements of the worms. 



If the colony is strong, the worm runs a dangerous gaunt- 

 let, as it passes, in search of some crevice, through the 

 ranks of its enraged foes. Its motions, however, are ex- 

 ceedingly quick, and it is full of cunning devices, being 

 able to crawl backwards, to twist round on itself, to curl up 



