﻿Lovell : The Insect- Visitors of Flowers 385 



they are sparingly visited by insects, and have often been watched 

 unsuccessfully. I have repeatedly observed Philanthus solivagus 

 flying from flower to flower and examining the lips for honey, but 

 never entering the corolla. Prosopis siziae was taken while en- 

 deavoring to penetrate the pollen-receptacle, and diptera may often 

 be seen resting on the flowers. The corolla is sometimes wholly 



or partially destroyed by some insect, enabling bees to steal the 

 honey. 



Visitors: Hymenoptera — Apidae : ( i ) Botnbus vagans Sm. , $ ; 



(2) B. consimilis Cr., $ ; (3) B. dorsalis Cr., $. August 16-24. 



Impatiens biflora Walt. Spotted Touch-me-not. 

 The structure of both the normal and clcistogamic flowers has 

 been described. August 10th I examined a large number of 



b" 31 iy -> Lil A 1-AttiiUl.V.U » "" & 



wers ; none of the spurs were perforated, and they were visited 

 legitimately by Bombus vagans, which made from seven to twelve 

 visits per minute. The thorax was plentifully covered with pollen. 

 August 23d to 27th I found hundreds of the flowers perforated 

 and both honey- and bumble-bees stealing the nectar. A honey- 

 bee was watched during twenty five successive visits, and in every 

 instance they were made to the spurs. The number of visits per 

 minute was about ten. Both the honey-bee and Bombus tarico/a 

 were observed in the act of perforating the nectary. The maxillae 

 alone were employed and were moved slowly back and forward 

 f or the purpose of puncturing the tissue. The perforation is usu- 

 ally 3-4 mm. from the end of the spur, which is 10-1 1 mm. long. 

 Sometimes there is but one, sometimes several openings, or there 

 ma y be a slit 3 mm. long. Though the honey-bee was not seen 

 to enter the calycine sac, it frequently sought the anthers, and as 

 the front of the head was dusted with pollen, inter-crossing would 

 °e accomplished if it visited flowers with the stigma exposed. 

 Small coleoptera and spiders occasionally seek refuge in the sac, 

 a nd various diptera are attracted to the outside by the bright 

 colors. 



Visitors : Hymentopera— (a) Apidae : (1) Apis mcllifica L. 51 ; 



Bombus vagans Sm., S ; (3) B. taricola Kirby, $ ; (/') 

 Andrenidae : (4) Augochlora aurata Sm., 9 , entered sac but did 

 n °t find the nectar. The first three species are common. 



