87 



In the first half of June the following green flowers bloom : 

 Petelia, StniJax, GayJuxsacla frondosa, Vitw, Liriodendron, 

 Gymiiodadvs Canadensis, Ehamnus cathartica, Nt/ssa si/l- 

 vatica and Rhus Toxicodendron, and all hut the last are 

 visited by honey bees. They are also very fond of lilnis 

 glabra, B. typMna, Rihes nigra, English Ivy, Ampelopsis 

 qninquefolia. Asparagus, Andromeda, Salix, Norway Maj)^, 

 and, notwithstanding its disagreeable odor, Ailanthus glan- 

 duJosus. The latter was visited by both honey and bumble 

 bees, but bumble bees were rarely or never seen on the 

 other green flowers excepting English Ivy, Gaylussacia, 

 and Andromeda. 



A recent writer observes that, "Thistles are purple to 

 please the bees." If so, what insect w^as intended to be 

 pleased with the yellow thistle? Certainly bumble bees 

 appear to be greatly pleased with them and are by far the 

 most numerous visitors. 



One finds a marked difference in the habits of honey and 

 hum))le bees. The former take a much wider field of opera- 

 tion. They visit readily nearly every green flower exce})t 

 the veriest weeds, beginning with the willow in the Spring, 

 and continuing until the English Ivy blooms in the Fall. 



Bumble bees, on the contrary, visit but a few of tiiis 

 color, not even Liriodendron, preferring the brighter hues 

 and tubular form, yet some of bright colors and favorites of 

 honey bees are not frequented by bumble bees. 



If any kind of bee has a preference for blue it is the 

 bumble bee, but those flowers of a blue or purv)le color that 

 he visits the most frequently are always visited also by 

 many kinds of butterflies, which proves that those flowers 

 are rich in nectar. Also when one sees the white cabbage 

 butterfly, Pieris, and the green CoJias, supposed to be es- 

 pecially fond of Brassica, delighting in Pontederia, Helio- 

 trope, Brunella and other l)lue flowers of same family, it is 

 quite evident that butterflies also have no preferences for 

 color. I have seen the same kind of dusky moth visiting 



