t the entrance of the galleries made by
the bees, are hatched at the end of September or beginning of
October, and we might not unnaturally expect that the young larvae,
which are active little creatures with six serviceable legs, would at
once eat their way into the cells of the bee. No such thing: till the
month of April following they remain without leaving their birthplace,
and consequently without food; nor do they in this long time change
either in form or size. M. Fabre ascertained this, not only by
examining the burrow of the bees, but also by direct observations of
some young larvae kept in captivity. In April, however, his captives at
last awoke from their long lethargy, and hurried anxiously about their
prisons. Naturally inferring that they were in search of food, M.
Fabre supposed that this would consist either of the larvae or pupae of
the bee, or of the honey with which it stores its cell. All three were
tried without success. The first two were neglected; and the larvae,
when placed on the latter, either hurried away or perished in the
attempt, being evidently unable to deal with the sticky substance. M.
Fabre was in despair. The first ray of light came to him from our
countryman Newport, who ascertained that a small parasite found on one
of the wild bees was, in fact, the larva of the oil-beetle. The larvae
of Sitaris much resembled this larva. Acting on this hint, M. Fabre
examined many specimens of the bee, and found on them at last the
larvae of his Sitaris. The males of the bee emerge from the pupae sooner
than the females, and M. Fabre ascertained that, as they come out of
their galleries, the little Sitaris larvae fasten upon them. Not,
however, for long: instinct teaches them that they are not yet in the
straight path of development; and, watching their opportunity, they
pass from the male to the female bee. Guided by these indications, M.
Fabre examined several cells of the bee; in some, the egg of the bee
floated by itself on the surface of the honey; in others, on the egg,
as on a raft, sat the still more minute larva of the Sitaris. The
mystery was solved. At the moment when the egg is laid, the Sitaris
larva springs upon it. Even while the poor mother is carefully
fastening up her cell, her mortal enemy is beginning to devour her
offspring; for the egg of the bee serves not only as a raft, but as a
repast. The honey, which is enough for either, would be too little for
both; and the Sitaris, t