BEES, 131 



chiefly to the genus Nomacla, Fabr., and are very wasp-like in 

 their api)earance, being small bees with short tongues, hind legs 

 simple, unfitted for collecting pollen, and nearly naked bodies. 

 Most of the species are black, with red or yellow spots and belts ; 

 a few are reddish with black markings. 



Most of our British bees are of obscure colours ; but some of 

 the large South American species belonging to the genera 

 Acanthopus, King, Agla'e, St. Farg., Chrysanthelda, Perty, etc., are 

 of the most brilliant purple or golden green. They are larger 

 than humble-bees, but not hairy, and must be magnificent insects 

 when flying in the sun. 



Eucera Longkornis, Scop., a black hairy bee about half an inch 

 long, the thorax of which is covered with rust-coloured hair, is our 

 British representative of a very extensive genus, the males of 

 which are remarkable for their unusually long antennae, as long as 

 the whole body. It is a common species, and forms its burrows in 

 the ground, sometimes in large colonies. 



The genus Xylocopa, Latr., is not represented in Britain, though 

 several species are found on the Continent. The beautiful Carpenter 

 Bee {Xylocopa Fiolacea, Scop.) is abundant throughout southern and 

 a considerable part of central Europe ; it is black, with brilliant 

 iridescent violet wings, and forms its nest in wood. The species 

 of Bombus, Fabr., on the contrary, form their nests in the 

 ground. These are the well-known Humble-Bees; large, stout, 

 hairy bees, which are generally either black with red tails, or 

 varied with black and yellowish bands; sometimes almost the 

 whole insect is of a yellowish colour. This is one of the most 

 difficult genera of all ; for many species greatly resemble each 

 other, and at the same time vary among themselves in size as well 

 as in other characters. They form nests in the ground, resembling 

 those of field-mice; and at other times will appropriate the nests 

 of small birds. Here they live in small communities, consisting of 

 males, females, and workers. They are subject to the attacks of 

 many parasites, one of which, a mite of considerable size, may 

 often be noticed upon their bodies. There is also a genus of bees 

 (Apathus, Newm.) which greatly resemble the Bombi in whose 

 nests they are parasitic ; but they consist only of males and females, 

 and their legs are not formed for collecting pollen. 



There are two genera of social, honey-collecting bees found in 

 South America : Mdlporta, Latr., and Trigona, Jur., which are 

 remarkable for being destitute of stings. M. Anthidioides, St. 

 Farg., is black, with interrupted yellow bands on the abdomen. 



