June 101 



eight eggs are thus laid in one bramble stem, each 

 divided by a thin partition. 



I constantly see another of these very curious 

 solitary bees at work on my rose trees. She is 

 known as the Upholsterer bee {Megachilt centun- 

 cularis), so called from her dainty fashion of lining 

 her nest with rose leaves. The nests are not 

 easily found, but I was fortunate enough to light 

 upon a specimen, and could examine its curious 

 formation. 



The bee settles on the edge of a rose leaf, and 

 holding it firmly between its forelegs, saws out a 

 round piece of the leaf and flies away with it. 

 About ten or eleven of these pieces are required 

 to line the burrow the bee has scooped in the 

 bank ; they are neatly fitted together without any 

 sort of cement, and as they dry they curl up 

 and form a neat little tunnel. In this the bee 

 stores up the honey and pollen of thistles, which 

 form a sweet and suitable food for her infant 

 bees. When a sufficient number of eggs has been 

 laid in the tunnel, the end is securely closed up 

 with three pieces of leaf neatly joined together, 

 and then, her work being completed, the mother 

 flies away and leaves her nursery to manage for 

 itself. 



Some of the solitary bees are smaller than 

 house flies, others are as large as humble bees ; 

 some are jet-black, others are yellow or brown. 

 They flourish in great variety through the spring 

 and summer months, and their remarkably inter- 

 esting habits should lead young people to inquire 

 about them. 



As a guide in identifying the various species, I 



