174 LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 



EVENING SIXTEENTH. 



HUMBLE, CARPENTER, MASON, AND UPHOL- 

 STERER BEES. 



Aunt M. No doubt you are all well ac- 

 quainted with humble bees I suppose you 

 have seen them many a time . 



Anna. Oh, yes, I have often seen them. 



Harriet. So have I. Do they make honey 

 too ? I have seen them sucking the flowers. 



Aunt M. Yes ; they live upon honey, and 

 keep a small supply in their nests ; but they do 

 not store it away in large quantities like the 

 hive bees, as they all die about the close of au- 

 tumn, except a few of the females, which sur- 

 vive the winter. 



Early m the spring, each of these solitary fe- 

 males selects a suitable place for her nest, which 



