10 



very rare. It appears to collect resin for use in the construction of 

 its cells. The leaf-cutter Bees, j\lef/achile, are true summer inseets, 

 and are most of them fairly common and widely distributed. They 

 burrow into banks, walls, and posts, or sometimes make use of an 

 existing hollow. They line their burrows with pieces of leaves, 

 frequently rose-leaves, but a number of kinds are used, even those 

 of Virginia creeper [Anipdopsis). Oval-shaped pieces are used at 

 the sides, the different pieces overlapping ; circular pieces are used 

 at the ends of the cells. The segments are cut from the leaves very 

 rapidly, and the bees are quite conspicuous objects when flying with 

 their loads. Two species are found more especially at the sea-side, 

 M. niaritiiiia and M. anfentata, though they sometimes occur inland. 

 I have taken them both on Redhill Common, and the former alsa 

 on Dartford Heath. 



Osinia is another of the interesting genera that make their nests 

 almost anywhere. Very few of them, however, appear to line their 

 burrows with leaves. The larvae spin very tough cocoons when 

 full-fed. 0. riifa is the species that often nests in an old lock, 

 entering by the key- hole. 0. hicolor and 0. aiintlenta are well 

 known from their frequent use of snail-shells. Mr. V. R. Perkins 

 has seen the former species cover the used snail shell with a little 

 pile of bents from two to three inches in height. An interesting 

 northern species is U. parietina, which attaches its cells to the 

 underside of stones. These have been known to hatch out at 

 intervals during a period of three years. 



The single species of AnthiJiiiin, a very handsome and common 

 insect, makes use of any suitable hole it can find, lining it with fibres 

 scraped from the stems of plants. It is the only British bee in 

 which the male is larger than the female. 



Another conspicuous bee is Eucera lontiicornis, the male only 

 having the exceedingly long antennaa, from which it gets its specific 

 name. It is very partial to the vetches, especially Viria sepiinit. 



The genus AitthoiiJtora contains four species, of which two, A. 

 velum and A. acervoriini, are Mason Bees, constructing smoothly 

 polished clay cells in walls and banks. The first named species is- 

 the more local, the other is one of our commonest spring bees,, 

 often appearing at the end of February. The other two species of 

 the genus are summer bees, not appearing till July. A. fnrcata 

 burrows in old wood, and A. 'i-inaculata in banks and walls. Both 

 are very partial to the black horehound, Ballota ni(pa. Scarcely 

 separable generically is Saropoda bimactdata, very similar in appear- 

 ance and habits to A. A-maciilata, It is most abundant at the sea- 

 side. I have seen it in very great numbers at Sandown Bay. 



The only bees remaining to be mentioned now are the Humble 

 Bees, the genus Bomhiis and their very similar parasites, Pait/u/riis, 

 the latter only differing slightly in structure from the true Boiiibi.. 

 The females, or queens, of both genera, pass the winter in an 

 impregnated state, and emerge in the early spring. The Bumbus 



