V 



FINDING AND TAKING NESTS 



It was one of the pleasures of my boyhood, and it 

 is no less enjoyable now, to find nests of humble- 

 bees, especially of the rarer species, and transfer 

 them to suitable places in the garden where their 

 working can be watched. The operation of digging 

 out the nest is full of excitement and surprises, and 

 the humble-bees settle down quickly and happily in 

 their new quarters, where, rid of parasites, they often 

 succeed better than if they had been left alone. 



A nest may be discovered accidentally, the bees 

 having been noticed passing in and out ; or we may 

 specially go out to search for the nests, and this in 

 itself is good sport. June and July are the best 

 months in which to look for humble-bees' nests ; but 

 a few in an early stage may sometimes be found at 

 the end of May, or we may take them in August 

 after they have reached the height of their pro- 

 sperity, although this is not so satisfactory. 



It is important to choose a day on which there is 

 little or no wind. The most promising places to 

 search over are grassy banks and the borders of 



3 



