SOLITARY BEES AND WASPS. 179 



manage with very little rest, for after all this night- 

 work they are equally diligent in the daytime 

 collecting pollen in which they lay their eggs at 

 the bottom of the tunnels. These bees have very 

 beautiful wings, rich with all the colours of the 

 rainbow, but, as they are not very large, a magnify- 

 ing glass is needed to enable one to see these 

 colours to advantage. 



One of this species is the smallest bee in 

 England ; it would almost be taken for a house- 

 fly, but for its long antennae. The most beautiful 

 specimens may often be found upon the flowers of 

 the chickweed. 



ANDRsENA. 



There are seventy species of this bee, and their 

 habits are much the same as the other bees I have 

 mentioned, but this genus is the victim of a most 

 strange enemy a small winged beetle called 

 Stylops. 



The grub or larva of the Stylops is found in 

 dandelion flowers, and when the bees come seeking 

 honey these little creatures climb on to the bee, 



