HONEY BEE. 265 
Mother, It does not attiick the bees ; 
the mischief it does is by devouring their 
Waxen cells. The cylinder that it first 
spins is just its own length, and is fixed 
to the side of a cell ; when all the wax 
within its reach is consumed it must 
advance in quest of more food ; it there- 
fore makes such an addition to the tube as 
may be necessary, and enlarges it in pro- 
portion to its own increasing size. Thus 
eating the wax, and lengthening its dwell- 
ing, it gradually winds round the combs, 
and effectually destroys the labours of the 
bees ; and sometimes there are such num- 
bers of these caterpillars in a hive, as to 
eat and break down the greater part of 
the combs. 1 have seen several in hives 
that have been opened, though in this 
country they are not so common as 
abroad. 
Lucy. You said, some time ago, tha% 
if the queen w^ere killed, or lost, the swarm 
might be supplied with another queen ; 
where is she to be found ? 
MotJier. Every old hive, besides the 
N 
