Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
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Transcription
J. Rodgers -1940
Uta stansburiana
Feb.29 Mrs. Vert. Zool., Univ. Calif, Berkeley, Calif.
3:20. Mr. Cunningham brought a honey bee into my office to feed to my lizards. I put it in a cage with 2 Sceloporus o. o. and 2 Uta stansburiana. The largest Ute and the smallest Sceloporus had a chance at it, but paid little attention to it. The largest Sceloporus was eying it, when a small (about 1/2 gram) Uta dashed over from about 10" away and grabbed the bee by the throat and shook it; let go, sidled around, came in and shook again, moved back and circled around again. It was obviously hurt, but the bee moved around so its abdomen pointed toward the Ute. The Ute grabbed again but let go immediately, and as if it has trouble getting loose. A small part of the posterior part of the abdomen of the bee stuck out of the Ute's mouth. It scraped its mouth on the ground, and backed about 5 inches away and stood high on all four legs. For the next 6 minutes it stood still, high on its legs but not as high as at first, and twisted its body back and forth as if it was having cramps. It closed its eyes and would keep them close for 15 or 20 seconds at a time. Toward the end of the 6 minute period it settled forward on its belly as if growing weak but had no sooner settled to the small piece of bark on