METHODIC HABITS OF INSECTS WHEN VISITING FLOWERS. 83 



It would be interesting to ascertain whether the Ligurian bee 

 or Mr. Blow's newly-introduced Cyprian bee, both of which are 

 said to be more productive than our common hive-bee, are 

 equally methodic — they could hardly be more so. Eight insects 

 which I watched visited altogether eight species of flowers 258 

 times, or an average of about 32 flowers each. This species 

 of bee is so perfectly methodic, that when I have carefully 

 watched (as in observations No. 26 and 29) a number of 

 individuals visiting frequently a variety of different flowers 

 growing together, I have never yet been able to see a hive-bee 

 change one species of flower for another ; on the contrary, as in 

 my best observation (No. 32), I have often seen flowers of 

 another species, although often of the same colour, obviously 

 rejected. 



Table II. (Lepidoptera) shows a considerably greater degree 

 of constancy than it would have done, judging from Mr. Bennett's 

 observations, had I watched a larger number of species. In this 

 class Mr. Bennett and I have, with two exceptions, observed 

 different species. As it is, 12 individuals which I have had 

 under observation have visited 99 flowers belonging to 15 species ; 

 but 94 of these flowers belonged to 12 species. 



Table III. shows a fairly high degree of constancy or method 

 on the part of the humble-bees, as 46 insects, of whose movements 

 I have exact details, visited 1751 flowers belonging to 74 species; 

 but 1605 of these flowers belonged to 46 species, 1733 belonged 

 to 65 species, 1745 belonged to 70 species, and 1750 belonged to 

 73 species. Taking all my 55 observations together, it will be 

 seen that one insect visited, whilst kept in sight, no less than 

 5 species of flower, 3 visited 4 species, 4 visited 3 species, 

 18 visited 2 species, whilst 29 (or rather more than half) visited 

 one species only. 



It will be observed that most of my observations have been 

 made upon bees, which seem to me to perform the fertilization of 

 at least one -half of all the flowers which are fertilized b}^ insects 

 in this country. As to butterflies I have seldom seen one whose 



it was then lost. The only other flower out around was Primula vulgaris. This was 

 very early in the spring (April 6th), at which time, as in the autumn, as I have now 

 reason to believe, bees are less systematic than at other times. The season this 

 year, at the date named, was exceedingly unfavourable for bees, and very few flowers 

 were out. 



