THE HOUSEKEEPING OF THE HUMBLE-BEE 805 



Like 'Wasps, the tounder of a HunihK- 

 Bee colony is a solitary queen, the sur- 

 vivor of the preceding summer, who 

 comes forth from the crevice in which 

 she has hibernated. But whereas \\'as])s 

 have a definite system of architecture, 

 Humble -Bees have none. Always the 

 interior of the nest presents an irregular 

 appearance. 



In Britain we have some eighteen 

 species of Humble Bees. Some of these 

 build their nests in holes, others upon 

 the surface of the ground beneath a 

 pile of moss or vegetable debris. In 

 all cases, however, the same easy-going 

 methods are in force ; so that while the 

 following remarks refer chiefly to a 

 subterranean nest to which the writer 

 paid particular attention, they will also 

 be found to apply, in the main, to such 



material of their own making. In the 

 centre of the chamber is the nest pro})er — 

 a mass of yellowisli objects not unlike 

 small snakes' eggs. These are the cocoons, 

 or cradli^s, formed by the Bee grubs prior to 

 their ])eriod of pupation. At first glance 

 these seem to be huddled together in a 

 sort of hopeless confusion, l)ut a more 

 careful examination reveals a rough and 

 ready method in their arrangement. We 

 notice that the cocoons are in two or 

 three layers. Those forming the foun- 

 dation have their domed tops removed. 

 Some are empty, but others are filled 

 with a clear liquid which, on being tasted, 

 proves to be honey. The cocoons of 

 the upper layer or layers are com- 

 l)letely closed. In each of them a Bee 

 })upa reposes, awaiting the season of 

 its final transformation. The photograph 



KNTKANCt; TO TH1-: HUMBLK-BKKS' NHS'I 



nests as are built up;)n the surface of 

 the ground. 



The home of the Humble -Bee is a})- 

 proached by a tunnel leading into a 

 chamber almost filled with a domed mass 

 of vegetable refuse brought thither by 

 the insects in order that their abode may 

 be dry and free from tlraughts. 



ScMTietimes this ])acking of moss, grass 

 and leaves is al)sent : but in these cases 

 the Bees protect themselves from the 

 possible intrusion of wind and water 

 by stopping up crevices with a waxy 



reproduced on page 807 will enable the 

 reader to appreciate the abo\'e descrijition. 

 Winding passages traverse the mass 

 of cocoons, enabling the adult Bees of 

 the colony to pass to and fro about 

 their business. But at first we detect 

 no sign of eggs or grubs — the rising 

 generation, whose presence is naturally 

 anticipated. A closer insjjection. how- 

 ever, shows us certain masses of chocolate- 

 brown substance heapetl upon the sum- 

 mits of the upper cocoons. The position 

 of several of these masses is indicated 



