116 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



condition is much greater than at others. The first is in the spring, 

 starting with the first fine days as soon as the willows are in bloom, 

 at which flowers and others, numerous species of the bee genera 

 Andrena, Osmia and Halictus swarm. This is the time when the 

 beautiful, large queen bumble-bees can be secured in fresh and un- 

 faded condition. These early insects belong to two classes; those 

 like Andrena and Osmia that have reached the adult stage the 

 previous autumn, but have deferred emergence until spring, and 

 those like Bomhus, Halictus and Vespa, consisting of females only, 

 that have hibernated and left their mates to die before winter. 

 After a lull in June the great summer procession begins, and it goes 

 on until the middle of August. The species are now more numerous, 

 but the specimens less plentiful than in spring, so that searching 

 in choice habitats will usually prove very productive. These 

 summer fliers have mostly passed the winter in the full-fed larval 

 stage. 



A few notes about killing and mounting wasps and bees may- 

 be helpful. A cyanide bottle is usually satisfactory for killing if 

 used with care. It should contain plenty of dry blotting paper or 

 other absorbent to prevent specimens rolling about and thus damag- 

 ing their coats with moisture, and the specimens should not be 

 allowed to touch the cyanide, and should be removed within one 

 or two hours to avoid the reddening of the yellow tegumental 

 markings by the cyanide. 



On a collecting excursion, lasting several days, the specimens 

 may be laid between layers of cotton batting in cigar boxes, and 

 may be relaxed and mounted in the autumn. To mount them, 

 use a No. 3 steel pin for all moderate or large-sized specimens, and 

 a No. 2 for all small ones, except the very smallest, which may be 

 mounted on small, triangular strips of cardboard with glue or fine 

 points, the cardboard being run on to No. 3 pins. Avoid using No. 

 1 pins. In the quick handling of dried specimens mounted on 

 these, the abdomen is very likely to fly off^ and the pin may bend; 

 also use store boxes lined with deep, soft material such as pith, not 

 thin hard cork or linoleum. Do not trouble to spread the wings, 

 it is hard and costs much time to do this satisfactorily, and where 

 it is attempted the specimens take up a great deal of room, but see 

 that the propodeum (metathorax) and base of the abdomen are 



