To A. S. Packard 23 November 1879
Down, | Beckenham, Kent | (Railway Station | Orpington S.E.R.)
Nov. 23rd. 1879
Dear Sir.
I never heard of bees being in any way carnivorous, and the fact is to me incredible.
Is it possible that the Bees opened the bodies of the Plusias to suck the nectar contained in their stomachs?1 Such a degree of reason would require repeated confirmation and would be very wonderful. I hope that you or some one will attend to the subject.2
My dear Sir | yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Packard, Alpheus Spring, Jr. 1880a. Moths entrapped by an asclepiad plant (Physianthus) and killed by honey bees. American Naturalist 14: 48–50.
Summary
Has never heard of bees that are carnivorous; hopes someone will investigate ASP’s observations.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-12333
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Alpheus Spring Packard, Jr
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- English Heritage, Down House (Scrapbook)
- Physical description
- C 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12333,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12333.xml
