Shedoesworse。Whenthetimeofthenymphosiscomes,theHalictusmothergoestothecellsrifledbytheparasiteandclosesthemwithanearthenplugascarefullyasshedoestherest。Thisfinalbarricade,anexcellentprecautionwhenthecotisoccupiedbyanHalictusincourseofmetamorphosis,becomestheheightofabsurditywhentheGnathaspassedthatway。Instinctdoesnothesitateinthefaceofthisineptitude:itsealsupemptiness。Isay,emptiness,becausethecraftymaggothastenstodecamptheinstantthatthevictualsareconsumed,asthoughitforesawaninsuperableobstacleforthecomingFly:itquitsthecellbeforetheBeeclosesit。
Torascallyguiletheparasiteaddsprudence。All,untilthereisnoneofthemleft,abandontheclayhomeswhichwouldbetheirundoingoncetheentrancewaspluggedup。Theearthenniche,sogratefultothetenderskin,thankstoitspolishedcoating,sofreefromhumidity,thankstoitswaterproofglaze,ought,onewouldthink,tomakeanexcellentwaiting—place。Themaggotswillhavenoneofit。LesttheyshouldfindthemselveswalledinwhentheybecomefrailGnats,theygoawayanddisperseintheneighbourhoodoftheascendingshaft。
Mydiggingoperations,infact,alwaysrevealthepupaeoutsidethecells,neverinside。Ifindthemenshrined,onebyone,inthebodyoftheclayeyearth,inanarrowrecesswhichtheemigrantwormhascontrivedtomakeforitself。Nextspring,whenthehourcomesforleaving,theadultinsecthasbuttocreepthroughtherubbish,whichiseasywork。
Anotherandnolessimperativereasoncompelsthischangeofabodeontheparasite\'spart。InJuly,asecondgenerationoftheHalictusisprocreated。TheGnat,reducedonhersidetoasinglebrood,remainsinthepupastateandawaitsthespringofthefollowingyearbeforeeffectinghertransformation。Thehoney—gatherresumesherworkinhernativevillage;sheavailsherselfofthepitsandcellsconstructedinthespring,savingnolittletimethereby。Thewholeelaboratestructurehasremainedingoodcondition。Itneedsbutafewrepairstomaketheoldhousehabitable。
NowwhatwouldhappeniftheBee,soscrupulousinmattersofcleanliness,weretofindapupainthecellwhichsheissweeping？