CHAPTER XXIV 



THE BEES AND WASPS OF BARTICA 



In the following chapters, treating chiefly of solitary 

 wasps, I have endeavored to give an accurate account of the 

 more intimate aspects of the lives of certain of these insects. 

 It is hoped that the fascination which the life stories of these 

 insects holds for the writer, may be imparted to the reader 

 not already familiar with them. 



To those fortunate ones already versed in the events of 

 wasp life, I can only say that Guiana is practically a new 

 and unsearched field, teeming with wonders of life of which 

 very little is known. In view of this fact, there should be 

 something of interest in these pages both to the layman and 

 to the experienced entomologist. 



Before taking up individual studies it is fitting that I 

 should give a brief outline of the conditions of wasp life in 

 Bartica district, the general locality in which all of my insect 

 observations were made. These observations cover a period 

 of a little over five months and were not selected because of 

 any particular facts that they may contain, but rather be- 

 cause they were just whatever I was successful in gathering. 

 In entomology, one life appears to be as interesting as an- 

 other. The tiniest creature and the greatest, are as one, in 

 the secrets they hold for the observer. 



During the period of actual field work, from February 

 15 to the end of July, I found one hundred and seven species 

 of bees and wasps carrying on nesting activities. Sixty-eight 

 of these were solitary wasps, nine social wasps, two apterous 

 Hymenoptera, or species wingless in one sex, seven were soli- 

 tary bees, ten social bees and eleven were undetermined bees 

 and wasps. 



