. Marvels of insect life [microform] : a popular account of structure and habit. Insects; Insectes. ^' » [^^ 312 Marvels of Insect Life. scavenger than of the murderer. Although these beetles have been reported as Taken Lasionally in this country, they are not considered to be "atwes I but on the Continent they are not uncommon. The one whose photograph we reproduce Indwhkh appear' also in the coloured plate, may, following its name/ ^^ be called the bee-keeper. The perfect Insect is of rather slender form, half an inch in length, and narrower in front than behind. Its legs, hea
. Marvels of insect life [microform] : a popular account of structure and habit. Insects; Insectes. ^' » [^^ 312 Marvels of Insect Life. scavenger than of the murderer. Although these beetles have been reported as Taken Lasionally in this country, they are not considered to be "atwes I but on the Continent they are not uncommon. The one whose photograph we reproduce Indwhkh appear' also in the coloured plate, may, following its name/ ^^ be called the bee-keeper. The perfect Insect is of rather slender form, half an inch in length, and narrower in front than behind. Its legs, head, and the fore-body in front of the wing-covers are of deep blue, which shines slightly beneath the coat of hairs. The wing- covers themselves are crossed by alternate bands of red and blue-black, of which there are three of each. The joints of the antenna form a wedge-shaped club The female beetle makes her way into the nests of wasps, solitary bees, and where the bee-master has not exercised proper «re, into the bee-hive, where she lap her eggs When these hatch the young grubs make their way into the honey-comb whence they attack and eat sickly bees, and brealcing into the cells devour the bee-grubs and chrysalids. The eggs are laid between May and July, and hatch soon after the grub performing its destructive work until early in the following year. After attaining full size as a grub it appears to rest for a time before becoming a chrysalis, and specimens of another species ^ kept under obser- vation have been known to extend this inactive, waiting period for nearly two years ; but this may have been due to artificial conditions. We may assume that under normal conditions the skin is thrown off in May, and the perfect beetles seek the flowers where they find their mates. Now from what has been said in previous articles on the subject of strongly contrasted bands or spots of red or yellow in conjunction with black or other dark colour, it will be evident that t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1915
