274 INSECTS 



In the Society's report for 1880 it is stated: "Your Council has 

 received intimation from Mrs Belfield of Timaru, of a shipment of 

 humble-bees from Messrs Neighbour & Sons, England." 



Mr I. Hopkins, formerly Chief Government Apiarist, and author 

 of a bulletin on the "History of the Humble-bee in New Zealand," 

 refers evidently to this attempt as follows: 



" Until a few years ago " (he was writing in 1914) " I was under the im- 

 pression that I had liberated the first humble-bees in this country, but 

 was corrected by a resident in Timaru, who stated he liberated in 1883, 

 some which came to the order of a lady, I think." 



These apparently failed to establish themselves, for when bees were 

 liberated subsequently by the Society, the rapidity of increase and 

 of spread was phenomenal. 



In 1882 Mr Hopkins sent an order for 100 queens to Messrs 

 Neighbour & Sons, London. 



After stating the object of importing the bees I left the selection of them 

 to the firm, but gave instructions how they were to be packed, and to be 

 brought out in the ship's cool room, at a temperature of about 40 F. 



These arrived in May, 1883, but were all dead. Another lot of 145 

 arrived in February, 1884, but only two were alive. After feeding 

 them, these were liberated, but there was no indication afterwards 

 of their having established themselves. 



Other consignments arrived by post, and in the steamships ' Ionic ' and 

 'Doric,' in January and February, 1885. A total of nearly five hundred 

 bees came in the several consignments, but all were dead except the two 

 mentioned. From the difference in their size, markings, and colours we 

 concluded at the time that queens of three or four species had been sent, 

 but what they were we had no knowledge. 



These lots came to Auckland. 



The second consignment of bees to the order of the Canterbury Society 

 arrived in the S.S. 'Doric' at Lyttelton in February, 1884, and the third, 

 of 200 bees, in the 'Ruapeha' in April, 1884. Both lots were dead. 



In January, 1885, the 'Tongariro' brought a fourth consignment 

 of 282 bees, of which 45 were alive ; and in February of the same 

 year, the ' Aorangi ' landed 48 out of 260 shipped. The first lot were 

 liberated at Riccarton, and the next at the foot of the Port Hills. 

 "Both lots of bees were strong and healthy when liberated, and 

 doubtless the majority, if not all, of them succeeded in establishing 

 themselves." 



It is interesting to learn from the report issued by the Canterbury 

 Society in February, 1886, that the cost of collecting and shipping 

 the bees in England, was is. jd. each; the cost of those landed in 

 New Zealand was 95. $d. each. 





