204 THE PARASITES OF THE HONEY-BEE. 























ochraceus) is a common inmate of humble-bees’ nests 
probably feeds upon the wax and pollen. We have 
found several larvee (Plate 4, fig. 16) of a beetle of which: 
do not know the adult form. Of similar habits is probably 
small moth (Nephopteryx Edmandsii, Plate 5, figs. 2 
larva; fig. 26, chrysalis, or pupa) which undoubtedly feeds 
upon the waxen walls of the bee-cells, and thus, like t 
attacks of the common bee-moth ( Galleria cereana), who 
habits are so well known as not to detain us, must 
very prejudicial to the well-being of the colony. tma 
moth is in turn infested by an Ichneumon-fly (Microgas n. 
nephoptericis, Plate 5, figs. 3, 3a) which must destroy mally 
of them. 1a 
The figures of the early stages of a minute ichneumon 
resented on the same plate (Fig. 7, larva, and Ta, pu 
Anthophorabia megachilis) which is parasitic on Megat 
the Leaf-cutter bee, illustrates the transformations of 
Ichneumon-flies, the smallest species of which yet knowl 
(and we believe the smallest insect known at all) is © 
Pteratomus Putnami, or “winged-atom,” which is only £ 
ninetieth of an inch in length, and is parasitic on Ant 
phorabia, itself a parasite. A species of mite (Plate 55 
9, 9a, the same seen from beneath) is always to be found 
humble-bees’ nests, but it is not thought to be specially 
noxious to the bees themselves, though several spout 
mites ( Gamasus, etc.) are known to be parasitic on ™ 
For a proper study of our bees and wasps, Wè shoe 
lect their nests from the last of May until late in the au 
We should watch for the different broods and coll 
larva, pupa, and adult of both sexes, as well as the wor 
The cells containing the young, with whatever parasites i 
be found on them, may be placed in alcohol, W p 
ture bees may be pinned. The simplest method of F 
ing the nests of humble-bees is to visit them before 
or after sunset, when the bees are in the nest, and we 
secure the whole colony. The bees can be picked UP 
