SOLITARY BEES AND WASPS. 183 



I may mention the clever way in which a humble- 

 bee will sometimes rid itself of a species of mite 

 which one may see swarming on its body. I give 

 this on the authority of Rev. Mr. Gordon, of 

 Harting. He says that the bee seeks an anthill 

 on which it throws itself on its back, and sets up 

 a loud buzzing noise ; the ants soon take the 

 alarm, swarm out of their nest, and at once fall 

 upon the bee ; but the latter simulates death, 

 stretching out its limbs rigid and motionless; the 

 ants therefore leave it alone, and seizing the mites 

 which are running over its body, they soon dis- 

 patch them all, when the bee gets up, gives itself 

 a shake, and flies away happily relieved of all its 

 tormentors. 



WASPS. 



I will now touch upon the habits of a few of the 

 Solitary wasps. 



It happens that my house is a favourite nesting- 

 place for them. Some years ago I noticed small 

 cells made of grey mud placed in some of the 

 angles of the brickwork close to our drawing-room 



