46 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. XI, 



B. GENERAL FACTS OF INTEREST. 



Prior to August 1, when the first queen was removed from the 

 nest, neither queen had come to grief through the jealousy 

 of the other. Sladen in his book on the "Humblebee" says 

 that one of the queens, if two shared the same nest, killed the 

 other about the time the first eggs were laid. Again, in this 

 colony started with two queens, the first larvae were reared 

 to maturity without the addition of introduced workers. 



III. Opening of a Field Nest of Bombus auricomus. 



On September 6, 1917, Dr. J. W. Folsom and myself opened 

 and removed a nest of Bombus auricomus of natural origin. 

 This nest was found in a hollow cement block, the block being 

 a part of the foundation of a small cabin. In order to remove 

 the block and thus get the nest it was necessary to raise one 

 corner of the cabin with automobile jacks. Upon removing 

 the block we found that the bumblebee nest had been started 

 in a mouse nest within the block. The bumblebees were 

 very docile when the nest was removed, for instead of flying 

 angrily from the nest, the most they did was to run excitedly 

 about on the comb and buzz loudly. 



A better protected or situated nest could hardly have been 

 selected by a queen. An examination of this nest was valuable 

 in that it afforded a comparison between a nest of natural origin 

 and one established under more or less controlled conditions. 

 Again, as this nest was taken in fall it was representative of the 

 natural "climax" nest of this species. 



A. NEST CONTENTS. 



There were ten workers, three new queens and three males 

 alive in the nest at the time of opening. Five dead workers 

 were found in the debris of the nest. A careful search was 

 made for the old queen, but no trace of her could be found. 

 In addition to the above, several bumblebees which were not 

 in the nest when it was opened, returned later and remained 

 about the old nesting site for many days. No trace of the 

 original wax-pollen honey-pot was found, or in fact any wax- 

 pollen cells, except the egg cells. In two of the five dead 



