134 College of Forestry 
The preceding table of hymenopterous visitors to the 
blossoms of wild spirzea perhaps needs little explanation or 
comment. It should, however, be remembered that these 
insects represent forms having rather diverse habits and 
modes of life. Thus the objects gained by the insects in 
visiting the flowers varies considerably. Some of them 
doubtless obtain only honey; others — a more numerous class, 
including the various bees and social wasps — seek both 
honey and pollen; others, perhaps, are in search of pollen 
only; while still others are in search of their prey. A few 
should be classed as casual visitors only — having alighted 
upon the blossoms by accident. 
The number of specimens of most of the species listed in 
the table is not sufficiently great to warrant any deductions 
regarding seasonal distribution. Some few species, however, 
occurred in sufficient numbers to make a tentative conclusion 
desirable. Some of these are briefly discussed below. 
Allantus dubwus Nort. This saw-fly begins to frequent 
the flowers of spirea in considerable numbers during the 
first week of the blossoming season. Indeed they seem to be 
at their maximum at this time and in succeeding weeks are 
gradually on the decrease. It is not known upon what this 
insect fed before the appearance of the spireea, as there were 
none taken from wild blackberry or other blossoms. Nothing 
was found regarding the breeding habits. 
Allantus basilaris Say begins to appear upon the spirea 
during the fourth week of July, reaches its maximum at the 
middle of August and no specimens were taken after August 
25. This species is not quite so numerous as the sister spe- 
cies, only eighteen specimens being taken, and of these only 
three are males. 
Vespula (Vespa) diabolica De Saussure, one of the com- 
monest of the colonial wasps, may be taken as a good example 
of insects of this genus and general mode of life. This insect 
is a frequent visitor to wild spirea in search both of honey 
and pollen. It, however, does not visit the blossoms of this 
plant to the exclusion of other flowers, but during the height 
of the blooming season seems to prefer these flowers to all 
