Bees and their Counterfeits. 169 



colouring of both the bees (Figs. 1 and 2) ; but then the single 

 pair of wings, the legs have not the enlarged or honey-bearing 

 tibia, and even the anatomical structure of the body itself, 

 though under the disguising fur mantle of identical colour, is 

 of itself amply sufficient to denote that the insect belongs to 

 another and very distinct class. 



Still, the close general resemblance of this insect, Volucella 

 plumata, is indisputable, and as it passes into the nest of the 

 bee, in order to deposit its eggs (one to each) on many of the 

 living larvae of the bees, it might certainly, to a casual 

 observer, pass for one of the family, while entering the bees' 

 nest on its mission of murder to the infant bees in their cell- 

 cradles. The egg of this parasite being deposited in the warm 

 folds of the soft skin of the bee-larva is rapidly hatched, and it 

 at once proceeds to its unnatural feast, slowly devouring the 

 foster parent whose breast had warmed it into life ; the bee-larva, 

 as I have stated, being a soft, legless grub with no powers of 

 escape. The engraving below (Fig. 4) is the larva of one of the 

 solitary bees ; very closely resembling that of the humble-bee, 

 and indeed of the hive-bee also. The larva of the Volucella is 

 represented at Fig. 5. This 

 odious-looking creature, with its 

 broad tail, armed with sharp 

 spines, and its muscular body 

 tapering to the head, and fur- 

 nished with rigid serrations 

 along each side, forms a striking contrast to the soft, helpless 

 larva of the bee. Like all the larvae of the Sy^hidce, to which 

 the genus Volucella belongs, it is blind ; but resting attached 

 by the broad tail, it moves its head rapidly about as a feeler, 

 before changing its position. The spikes at the tail may be 

 adapted to enable it to raise itself up the smooth sides of the 

 cell of the bee larva, in case that one infant bee should prove 

 insufficient, and that it might require to pass on to the next 

 cradle. But it may be as well to describe the progress of the 

 parasitic larva on the supposition that one baby bee will prove 

 enough for its purpose. The devoted larva of the bee, then, is 

 gradually eaten alive by the parasite ; which, with seemingly 

 horrible instinct, spares all the actually vital parts, taking only 

 the more fleshy portions, until the carnivorous young Volucella 

 feels itself full fed and ready to undergo its torpid state of 

 change. Then, the last remains of the wretched infant bee are 

 greedily consumed, and the parasite passes into its sleepy chry- 

 saline stage, taking its long siesta in the comfortable cradle 

 whose infant tenant it has devoured, and from which it eventually 

 comes boldly forth in all the pride of its winged and perfect 

 state, walking out of the bee home as from its own proper 



