SOLITARY BEES AND WASPS. 171 



earwig ; if it once gets in, it will eat up the egg, 

 the food supply, and the bee itself. In this way 

 the bee is kept in check, else we may suppose it 

 would multiply far too abundantly. 



ANTHOPHOKA. 

 (FLOWER- RIFLER.) 



This is a name that would apply to most bees, 

 but certainly this one seems unusually energetic 

 in obtaining honey, visiting each flower in succes- 

 sion, and then whisking off to the next flower-bed 

 as if it had not a minute to lose. 



The male is jet black, and hums loudly all the 

 time it is on the wing. It has a very long tongue, 

 beautifully fringed with hairs at the end to enable 

 it to sweep the flower-tubes and drink in the 

 honey. It is a most difficult bee to catch, its 

 vision being so acute that it is off like a flash 

 the moment it sees the net ; it is therefore only 

 after many attempts that one can secure a 

 specimen. The female is very different in ap- 



