81 



Asclepias, Cnicus, Eupatorium, Echiiim, and other Borra- 

 genaceiv, all purple or blue, but the same bumble bees visit 

 the red ch)ver (Trifolium), which is of a distinct |)ink- 

 pur})le, just as freely, while honey bees, on account of their 

 smaller size, are obliged to take the white T. repens, or 

 rose-tinted T. hybridum, which have shorter tubes. Honey 

 bees are constant visitors of Myosotis, blue ; l)umble bees 

 visit less frequently ; on the other hand buml)le l)ees visit 

 pansy, a larger Hower, purple or yellow, more freely than 

 honey bees. 



Wistaria, blue, has j)ea-shaped Howers which exclude 

 many kinds of insects; bumble bees, but more especially 

 Xi/Iocopa, an insect quite as large as the largest bumble 

 bee, with a smooth l)lack abdomen, seeks them liefore they 

 are fully expanded and pierces the short tubular calyx from 

 the outside for the nectar, and when fully blown they also 

 visit the interior. Honey bees suck the nectar from the 

 minute holes made by the former. Bumble bees often 

 employ this device to get at the honey in other species of 

 various colors. I have seen them pierce the tubes of Del- 

 phinium, Rhododendron, Azalea viscosa, Weigelia rosea, 

 various varieties of Petunia, Aquilegia, Vaccinium eorym- 

 bosum, Impatiens fulva. Phlox, Foxglove, Leucothce, and 

 Linaria vulgaris, even in bud. All hues are represented in 

 these flowers : red, blue, yellow, white and green I These 

 flowers do not appear to be perfectly adapted to bees, and 

 they have considerable difl[iculty in reaching the nectar, yet 

 they do not turn their backs on them to seek purple or blue 

 flowers, although it is said, " blue is the special hue affected 

 by bees." Honey bees do not attempt to enter these flowers 

 except Weigelia rosea, they know what the bumble bees 

 have done and without any honey guides they go straight 

 to the minute holes on the outside of the nectary ! 



While bees are conspicuous on the purple flowers above 

 mentioned, many of a similar color are not visited by bees 

 at all and scarcely by any insects, as the large purple O/e- 



