B.C. Entomological Society. 



Volumes might be written upon this most iuterestiug group of insects, and any 

 one proposing to worlj upon the ants would do well to examine some of Professor 

 Wheeler's papers upon the group. 



Befiire leaving the subject of ants, I should like to mention those most interesting 

 species, the fungus-ants. These interesting creatures, first carefully observed by Belt 

 in Nicaragua, have developed the extraordinary faculty of cultivating for food a 

 certain species of fungus which is grown by the ants upon decaying leaves that are 

 brought to the nest for that purpose. This fungus is only known to be produced iu 

 the nest of ants of tropical and sub-tropical America. The tribe to which they belong, 

 the " Attii," consists of about 100 species, all of which are known to be cultivators 

 and eaters of this ijeculiar fungous growth. 



It had constantly been remarked by travellers in the tropics that vast numbers 

 of ants were found engaged in carrying into their nests quantities of freshly cut 

 leaves; that these leaves served as food was for a long time taken as the explanation 

 of the iihenomenon. But careful observation led to the discovery that the leaves 

 were used as a manure tor raising the crops of fungous plants for the food of the 

 ant colony. It is grown within certain large chambers of the nest and is fed upon 

 by the larvse and adult Attii. When a colony is disturbed the ants remove every 

 particle of the fungous masses to a new site, aud again iu forming a new colony a 

 supply is carried along by the ants with which to stock their new quarters. 



We might dilate upon the many other strange facts of ant behaviour which have 

 Iu the last few years been made known by various careful workers, but I think that 

 enough has been given to show the intense interest of the study. I will now give you 

 a short list of the species of the Hymenoptera that I have found in my somewhat 

 desultory collecting, but I hope it may be the nucleus of a far more comprehensive 

 aud complete list in the f\iture for this country compiled by the co-operation of many 

 of our members. 



Among the earliest aud most notk-eable of the Hymenoptera are the various 

 siiecies of BiunbirtiP. of which I have I'epresentatives of some si.xteen species in my 

 collection. In their relation to the cross-fertilization of plants, the insects of this 

 group are of the greatest importance and benefit to agriculture, for without their 

 presence many of the most valuable plants would never set their seed. 

 In the Okanagau we have the following siiecies : — 



Bonibus melanopygus (the most Bombus nevadensis (the 



showy species of the genus largest species), 



and the first to appear in the Bombus fervidus. 



spring). Bombus occidental is. 



Bombus rufociuctus. Bombus vancouverensis. 



Bombus appositus. Bombus edwardsii (Vane). 



Bombus nearcticns. Bombus vagaus. 



Bombus jnxtus. Bombus pennsylvanicus. 



Bombus couperi. 

 Psltiirus insiilaris, a parasitic form in the Audrenidre or short-tongued bees, I 

 have the following species, viz. : — 



Andrena illiuoiensis. Halictua pacificus. 



Andrena nigrocoerula. Synalonia nevadensis. 



Halictua ligatus. Synalonia edwardsii. 



Halictus montauus. Megachile frigida. 



Halictus lerouxii. Coelioxus nifitarsus. 



The following wasps are to lie found commonly: — 



Vespa diabolica (also from Vaiicunver I. Polistes aurifer. 



Vespa fernaldi. Polistes pallipes. 



Vespa maculata. Polybia flavitarsus. 



Vespa marginata. Trachytes pepticus. 



Vespa occidentalis. Psamophila robusta. 



Polistes bellicosus. Sphex ichneunionea. 



