Abstract
MR. BATESON'S interesting discussion of the relations between Volucella and the species of Bombus(NATURE, vol. xlvi. p. 585) suggests the following observations:—The nest of B. muscorum is made without much effort at concealment on the surface of the ground. If accidentally disturbed the inmates set up a peevish buzzing, which, no doubt, answers the purpose of warning off ordinary intruders. Yet B. muscorum is of a patient and gentle disposition, and will put up with a good deal of maltreatment before using its sting. Its sting, moreover, is less venomous than that of either of our other common humble bees. It apparently trusts to the reputation of its genus for protection from annoyance. Such a creature would seem marked out by Nature as the very host to be imposed on by a parasite like Volucella, which, on the other hand, may need all its cunning to come round an irascible being like B. lapidarius, or even like B. hortorum. And, in fact, as Mr. Bateson points out, we find it multiplying abundantly at the expense of the first named bee, and less frequent in the nests of the other two. Notwithstanding this, B. muscorum appears to be certainly no less successful than either of the others in the struggle for existence.
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HART, W. Parasitism of Volucella. Nature 47, 78 (1892). https://doi.org/10.1038/047078a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/047078a0
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