162 JOHN H. LOVELL 



On August 10, I introduced sugar syrup into nearly all the 

 expanded flowers. Vespa consobrina was a constant visitor 

 throughout the day, and subsequently Vespa germanica was also 

 observed on the inflorescence. ^ At 2:30 p. m., a honey-bee 

 appeared and continued its visits for half an hour. The day 

 following was very cold and windy for mid-summer; but the 

 12th was clear and warm. At 9:05 a. m., I introduced sugar 

 syrup into the expanded flowers. A honey-bee was soon at 

 work, and by 11:00 o'clock the number had increased to three; 

 at 12:45, there were four honey-bees and a V. consobrina; at 

 2:35 there were five honey-bees and a V. consobrina; and at 

 6:00 p. m., the wasp and six honey-bees. The number of flowers 

 in bloom was about thirty-five. The weather continued fair 

 on the 13th, and in the morning I found four honey-bees on the 

 flowers. A new supply of sugar syrup was provided, and by 

 9:10 a. m., there were twelve honey-bees at work. Manifestly, 

 it was needless to continue the experiment further. Thus, 

 without the addition of an agreeable odor, but merely by intro- 

 ducing a supply of an odorless, colorless syrup the visits of 

 honey-bees were induced in great numbers. 



Although sugar syrup was not again introduced into the flowers, 

 on August 14, 15 and 16 I saw honey-bees examining the inflo- 

 rescence, doubtless remembering their former experience. On 

 September 2, a honey-bee alighted on two flowers and examined 

 others; by this time most, if not all, of the flowers into which 

 syrup had been introduced had wilted. Bumblebees were also 

 seen to visit the flowers occasionally, but not finding nectar, 

 they did not remain long. There were many small Diptera 

 flying about the foliage of the Petunias, but little or no significance 

 was attached to their visits. A small bee of the genus Halictus 

 also alighted on the corollas. 



Pelargonium zonale Willd., says Plateau, is one of the more 

 noteworthy forms of plants with very brilliant flowers, which 

 are almost wholly ignored by insects; the beds of scarlet Pelar- 

 goniums, commonly called red geraniums, of which there are a 

 profusion in public gardens, permit us to establish this fact 

 each year. A large bed of Pelargonium zonale displayed more than 

 fifty umbels of scarlet flowers; into three umbels on the left side 



« For the determination of the specific names of these wasps I am indebted to Mr. 

 S. A. Rohwer. 



