294 
SUMMER. 
consist of a hundred or a thousand vile worms, whose 
food is principally wax or comb. 
As the instinct of the flesh-fly directs her to a 
putrid carcass to deposit her eggs, that her offspring 
may have their proper food, so the moth seeks the 
hive containing combs, and where its natural food is 
at hand to furnish a supply. During the day a rusty 
brown miller, with its wings wrapped close around the 
body, may be often seen lying perfectly motionless on 
the side of the hive on one corner, or the under edge 
of the top, where it projects over — they are more fre- 
quent at the corners than anywhere else, one-third 
of their length projecting beyond it; appearing much 
like a sliver on the edge of a board that is somewhat 
weather-beaten. Their color so closely resembles old 
wood, that I have no doubt their enemies are often 
deceived, and let them escape with their lives. As 
soon as daylight shuts out the view, and no danger 
of their movements being discovered by their enemies, 
they throw off their inactivity, and commence search- 
ing for a place to deposit their eggs, and woe to the 
stock that has not bees sufficient to drive them from 
the comb. Although their larvae has a skin that the 
bee cannot pierce with its sting, in most cases, it is 
not so with the moth, and of this fact they seem to 
be aware, for whenever a bee approaches they dart 
away with speed ten times greater than that of any 
bee, disposed to follow! They enter the hive and 
dodge out in a moment, having either encountered a 
bee, or fear they may do so. Now it needs no argu- 
