MASON BEE. 275 
nest ; there it lays its eggs ; and the larvae 
have such strong jaws, that they cut their 
way from cell to cell, and prey upon hoth 
the bee bread and the young bee. 
It has another deadly enemy in the 
attelahus apiarius ; a little beetle, which 
is very beautifully marked : the head and 
corselet are of a fine blue, the elytra are 
red with three violet coloured bands, and 
the under part of the body is covered 
with long, white hair. It watches for 
the absence of the bee, and slily intro- 
duces an egg into her nest ; from thence 
a rose-coloured worm proceeds, with a 
black head, and six scaly feet, who soon 
devours the young bees, and then weaves 
for itself a strong case, like parchment, 
lined with silk, in which it goes through 
its transformations, and remains in the 
chrysalis nearly three years. 
Lucy, Pray, mamma, have these 
wild bees stings ? 
Mother. Yes, all the females have 
stings ; but they are not easily provoked 
