366 



INSECTS AT HOME. 



shaving it quite bare. It then collects the bundle of down 

 between its head and fore-legs, carries it off to the burrow, 

 and with it makes a cocoon-like cell, binding together the 

 fibres of down with some kind of glutinous material. Within 

 this cell it j^laces an egg and a quantity of pollen sufficient to 

 last the young grub throughout its larval condition. When 



ZZZVII 



1. Anthidium manicatnm. 2. Bombus lapMarius, female. 3. Do., neuter. 4. Do., male. 

 «. Tongue of Anthidium. 6. Tongue of Bombus. c. Mandible of Anthidium. 



full-fed, the larva spins within its cell a silken cocoon, from 

 which it emerges in its perfect state somewhere about Mid- 

 summer. 



This Bee presents one very remarkable point of difference 

 from insects in general, the male being as much larger than 

 the female as the female is usually larger than the male. The 

 species is quite a common one, especially towards the south of 

 Enaiand. 



