91 



luting the petals to increased action. In like manner not 

 only bees, but every other insect is doing his part to stimu- 

 late the flowers to produce more and brighter color. They 

 do not select, they simply stimulate, and the flowers or 

 plant does the rest. Regarding the prevalent o{)inion that 

 bees have a preference for blue colors, the writer has 

 experienced more difiiculty in flnding bees on blue violets, 

 sisyrinchium, iris, etc., than on dandelion and buttercup. 

 I have never seen a bumble bee on heliotro})e and they do 

 not visit larkspur with much zest, almost always biting- 

 holes on the outside. I have seen more ichneumons on 

 Asclejnas Cornuti than bumble l)ees ; seven large, black, 

 waspy ichneumons were seen at one time on a single umbel. 

 As between Antirrhinum majus, purple, and Linaria 

 vulgaris, yellow, being similarly shaped, there is no prefer- 

 ence whatever. Both arc fertilized by the same bees, viz., 

 bumble bees, and another undetermined species rather 

 smaller than a honey bee, yellow or brownish on under 

 side of abdomen. While the former could only enter half 

 way into Antirrhinum, the latter pushed entirely into the 

 flower which closed after him. He was able to turn around 

 and emerge when he chose 



One can count more confldently upon flnding bumble bees 

 on l)utter-and-eggs, sil[)hiun:, baptisia, Helianthus animus, 

 etc., than on any of the above or Agapanthus, Funkia, 

 Centaurea Cyanus, etc. Yet certain families of blue are 

 nmch frequented by bees, as the Borraginaccic, Labiata', 

 Bontederia, etc. 



When a number of favorable conditions combine in a 

 l)articular family or species, then bumble bees appear to 

 have a preference for the flower. These conditions exist in 

 Anchusa, viz., size and shape : tubular flower one-third inch 

 long; throat slightly closed by feathery processes, (the 

 l)ees enjoy a Httle obstructicm), a continuous supply of high 

 grade nectar, and a bright blue flower ! The bees visit 

 these flowers over and over again without intermission from 



