1896. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



677 



specimens related to Andrena in habit, but differing much in 

 the structure of the hind legs and antennM of the males. 

 Eunomia also belongs near here. It has but two representa- 

 tives of our fauna. 



The genera Macropis, Megacilissa, Panurgus, Calliopsis 

 and Perdita, with possibly one or two others, are represented 

 by from one to several species each. None of these have been 

 studied with suffi'-ient care thus to warrant our trying to give 

 their habits at this time. 



In the genus Nomada we have bunched an extensive 

 series of brightly-marked, small to medium-sized, wasp-like 

 parasitic bees. These are loafers that through disuse, possi- 

 bly, have lost the pollen gathering and carrying arrangements 

 that at one time may have belonged to their ancestors. Living 

 as they do in the nests of different species of Andrena and 

 Halictus, eai'h with some particular host, there are many 

 species of them. 



Another genus of these parasitic bees quite common to 

 Nebraska is Epeopus, the various species of which live in the 

 nests of Colletes. 



Melecta, Stelis and Coelioxys are also genera of the 

 cuckoo tribe. They impose the caring and rearing of their 

 young respectively upon the members of the genera Antho- 

 phora, Osmia and Mngaohile. 



The different species of the genus Osmia are usually 

 metallic green or blue, but others are plain black. These 

 bees with several other genera are provided with pollen-gath- 

 ering hairs upon the ventral side of the abdomen. Some of 

 them nest in the ground, others in wood or the stems of 

 plants, and still others are said to select the deserted shells of 

 snails for that purpose. 



Horiades, Monumentha, Anthidium and Lithurgus are 

 allied genera with but few representatives in our State. 



To the genus Megachile, which is an extensive one, belong 

 the leaf-cutters. These are, for the most part, rather large, 

 robust bees which are very thickly clothed with long hairs. 

 They construct their nests in the stems of plants or in burrows 

 in partly rotten wood, and make the cells of carved pieces of 

 leaves which they cut for the purpose. One species of the 

 genus is especially fond of red clover blossoms, and no doubt 

 does much towards fertilizing them. 



One of our prettiest little bees in the State is a member 

 of the genus Ceratina. It is bluish-green and has the habit of 

 excavating the pith from brambles, briars and other similar 

 plants. As it is without the pollen-gathering hairs either up- 

 on its legs or body, and rather than be a " cuckoo," it feeds 

 its larvEB with a semi fluid honey. 



The genera Eucera, Mellissodes. Xenoglossa, Synhalonia, 

 and Diadasia, are mostly rather large bees in which the an- 

 tennEe of the males are much longer than in the females. The 

 females are usually supplied with pollen-brushes. Quite a 

 number of species are to be met with in our State. 



Emphor, Habropoda, Anthophora and Clissodon are also 

 large bees which are fairly well represented here. 



The carpenter-bee, Xylocopa, is also one of our wild bees. 

 This is the large blue-black and yellow bee that makes its 

 nest in holes made by itself in solid wood. 



Of course Bnmbus, to which belong our various bumble- 

 bees, is rather well represented here ; and almost every school 

 boy or girl can tell of more than one thrilling experience that 

 he or she has had with them. 



The genus Apathus, which is represented by three species 

 that live as inquilins iu the nests of Bombus, is intc esting. 

 These bees are very simple in appearance to the bees with 

 which they live as invited guests, or not.as the case may be. 



Lastly, among the native or wild bees of Nebraska can be 

 included the honey or hive bee. Lawrence Bruner. 



How many varieties of bumble-bees have we ? 



Prof. Bruner--! think we have ten in the West, in the 

 East four. The bumble-bee lives along the Rocky mountains. 

 The western portion of the State has more varieties than the 

 eastern. 



Prof. Bruner, what is the size of our Nebraska bees ? 



Prof. Bruner — They go from the largest bumble-bee to a 

 bee that is very small indeed — about 1/30 of an inch. 



What kind of a bee is it that visits the maple trees ? 



Prof. Bruner — These are called the leaf-cutting bee; they 

 are smaller than the bumble-bee. There are leaf-cutting bees 

 which make holes in the center of partly decayed wood. These 

 holes are about % inch in length and ^ inch in diameter. 

 These bees cut the pieces with their jaws. Their jaws work 

 like scissors. 



Mr. Masters— I have seen bees work on rose leaves, but I 

 did not know what kind of bees they were. 



Prof. Bruner — Some bees work on the leaves of the rose 

 and some even on the petals. 



Dr. Miller — Professor, what is hibernation ? 



Prof. Bruner — Passing through the winter in a torpid 

 state, and coming out alive in spring — like the squirrel. 



A member — Are there any stingless bees in the world that 

 store honey ? 



Prof. Bruner — I don't know. I read that there was such 

 a bee introduced from South America, but they found that 

 they could sting a little better than the honey-bee I 



Prof. Bruner said that he would bring his collection of 

 bees to the convention room, which he did. It was a very fine 

 display, and attracted much attention. 



It was then voted to have the afternoon session at 2 

 o'clock, and the evening session at 7:30 o'clock. The conven- 

 tion then adjourned till the afternoon session. 

 (Continued on page 689.) 



fifflf' 



California Bee-Keepiug Notes. 



BY PROF. A. J. COOK. 



Mr. H. Levering, one of the able bee-keepers of Southern 

 California, and editor of the bee-department of the California 

 Cultivator, sends me three flowers which he wishes identified. 

 He says that they are visited very generally by the bees. The 

 plants are, 1st, Senecio douglassii, a very common shrub of 

 the composite family, which is in bloom from early June to 

 winter. This is a near relative of the thistle and common 

 star thistle (Centaurea), common East and in California. Like 

 nearly all California plants it is in bloom just about with the 

 wild buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum, and continues like 

 that famous bee-plant till late autumn. 



The second plant was California Virgins' Bower, Clematis 

 ligusticifolia. This closely resembles the Virginia Virgins' 

 Bower of the East. I had never supposed, that these were 

 bee-plants. I see that Benton does not include them in his 

 lists. The Columbine, a flower of the same family — Ranun- 

 culacese — has much nectar in the pendant tips of its irregular 

 flowers, but it is concealed from honey-bees. 



The third plant is Brickellia californlca. This is also a 

 shruby composite, and very closely related to boneset or Eupa- 

 torium of the East. We can well see, then, that it might 

 secrete nectar, though we wonder how any plant can search 

 out nectar or ought else from the parched soils of September 

 in Southern California. It sitnply shows that individuals can 

 get sweet, not to say be sweet, though all Nature conspire to 

 parch, blight or burn them. 



One of my students here — a very bright young lady — has 

 commenced keeping bees. She has taken off two supers of 

 sections even iu this dry season. 



That article of Dr. Howard's, in a late American Bee 

 Journal, on a " New Bee-Disease," is worthy of the author of 

 that excellent treatise on " Foul Brood." 



The newspapers state that Mme. Modjeska has an apiary 

 of over 600 colonies of bees on her ranch in San Diego county, 



