8 
NATURE NOTES. 
by some of the older entomologists and beekeepers, that this 
moth was in the habit of resorting to, and entering hives when 
it had the opportunity. In those countries where it is commoner 
than with us, and where hives are numerous of the old-fashioned 
sort, it has long been the object of superstitious dread, and its 
honey-hunting peculiarity is an added reason for dislike. To- 
the credulous it has for centuries been a “ king of terrors.” 
The Death’s-head i\Ioth bears upon its thorax a mark which 
does somewhat resemble a skull and cross bones ; it has, besides, 
the power of making a plaintive cry — quite an unusual thing with 
insects of this kind — and it glides about mysteriously in the 
twilight, not only out-of-doors, but occasionally entering houses. 
Some people believed the moth was actually gifted with the 
power, when it came into a house, of whispering the name of 
the person next to die there. 
But as regards the bees — there is one evident reason w'hy 
such a moth should be attracted to their hives ; it has a short 
tongue which prevents it from drawing the nectar from many 
flowers that furnish food to its long-tongued relatives. Evidently 
the construction of modern hives does not give the moth any 
chance of getting in ; it may smell the honey, but it cannot 
obtain it. A\’here old-style hives are used, the moth can and 
does enter, and occasionally one has been found dead within a 
hive, the bees, being unable to remove so bulky an insect, having 
taken the precaution to embalm its body with what is called 
propolis. Some have supposed that the peculiar noise made by 
the Death’s-head alarms or paralyses the bees, thus rendering 
them unable to attack it, but there is no proof of this. The 
courage of bees is remarkable, and the Death’s-head would be 
treated just as some other intruder might be, if the bees were 
able to sting it to death. But, as a skilled entomologist has 
pointed out, this moth is well protected b}^ its fur and skin, so 
that it is doubtful whether a bee could harm it, unless it 
dexterously selected a vulnerable part. A dead specimen in a 
hive can be accounted for by the fact that the moth may get in, 
but find it not at all easy to turn round and get out again. The 
moth does not appear to be afraid of the bees ; like several 
others of the same tribe, it has a wa}’ of striking out with the 
fore-legs if annoyed, but has no means of defence. 
Some of the continental beekeepers have discovered that the 
bees are aware they are liable to the intrusions of this big moth, 
and when they are located in the old-fashioned hive the insects 
erect a kind of fortification at the portal. This is constructed 
with a narrow passage and a bend, past which the Death’s-head 
could not possibly make its way, and which it has no jaws to- 
bite through ; the bees would scarcely attempt to erect this if 
the)’ could settle the would-be thief outside with their owa 
weapons. 
J. R. S. Clifford. 
