BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 211 



would be very interesting to discover. It has been supposed, 

 from the very close resemblance of the Apathi to the Bombi, 

 that the former are an idle race reared at the expense of the in- 

 dustrious bees, and wearing a livery in imitation of them, for the 

 purpose of deception ; but there can be little doubt of these 

 aristocrats of the community performing important and neces- 

 sary duties highly conducive to the general prosperity of the 

 whole. That the close resemblance of these bees is not for the 

 purpose of deception is at once proved by the fact of A. Bar- 

 butellus, a yellow-banded bee, being found in the nest of B. Der- 

 hamellus, a black species having the tip of the body red ; and we 

 have already seen that, amongst the solitary bees, the greatest 

 difference in appearance exists ; we would instance Epeolus and 

 Colletes, Andrena and Nomada, also Melecta and Anthophora. 



A. Bar butellus has been found in the nest of B. Scrimshiranus 

 in Scotland. 



The numbers of which the societies of Humble-bees consist, 

 vary greatly in different species ; as a general rule, those which 

 build a nest above ground are the smallest ; the number found 

 in a nest of senilis being 22 females, 44 workers, and 1 6 males, 

 the remainder of the latter sex having left the nest ; of unde- 

 veloped workers the combs contained 27 pupae and 9 of males 

 this gives 118 : of empty cells, which I believe had been occu- 

 pied by males, there were 10, making a total of 128. This is 

 the largest number which has been observed in any nest of this 

 species, the time of taking the nest being the end of August; 

 about half that number usually constitutes the entire population. 

 A nest of JB. fragrans contained only 5 females and about 

 20 workers : this being in the month of August, it would appear 

 that the communities of this species are very small. The nests 

 of Bombus terrestris contain the largest number of individuals ; 

 a nest taken in August contained 35 females, 20 males, and 

 160 workers; at this time the majority of males and females 

 had left the nest : in this community were found 2 females and 

 9 males of Apathus nemorum. 



Another circumstance connected with these bees is the various 

 degrees of pugnacity which they exhibit when their dominions 

 are invaded : the moss-builders exhibit little or no courage in 

 defence of their citadel, they may be taken with impunity : but 

 a far different race are those which build underground ; these are 

 bold and daring insects, which defend their nests with great 

 courage. 



The term Moss-builders must not be taken literally, since 

 many nests are composed entirely of grass and leaves ; but in 

 situations where moss is plentiful, the nests will be found to be 

 constructed entirely of that material. To show that Humble- 



