Bramble-bees and Others 



lastly from the cavities made by some digger 

 or other in the decayed trunk of a willow- 

 tree, 



Morawitz' Osmia (O. Morawitzi, Perez) 

 is not uncommon in the old nests of 

 the Mason-bee of the Pebbles, but I 

 suspect her of favouring other lodgings 

 besides. 



The Three-pronged Osmia (O. tridentata, 

 DuF. and Per.) creates a home of her own, 

 digging herself a channel with her mandibles 

 in dry bramble and sometimes in danewort. 

 It mixes a few scrapings of perforated pith 

 with the green paste. Its habits are shared 

 by the Ragged Osmia (O. detrita, Perez) 

 and by the Tiny Osmia (O. parvula, DuF.). 



The Chalicodoma works in broad daylight, 

 on a tile, on a pebble, on a branch in the 

 hedge; none of her trade-practices is kept a 

 secret from the observer's curiosity. The 

 Osmia loves mystery. She wants a dark re- 

 treat, hidden from the eye. I would like, 

 nevertheless, to watch her in the privacy of 

 her home and to witness her work with the 

 same facility as if she were nest-building in 

 the open air. Perhaps there are some inter- 

 esting characteristics to be picked up in the 



62 



