HUMBLE BEES 137 



or ' bumble ' bees are the insects best known 

 to the young. Most people, however, leave 

 the matter at that stage. Comparatively 

 few are aware that in Britain there are over 

 two hundred different sorts of bees, without 

 counting those cultivated by bee-keepers. 

 As boys we recognized three distinct sorts, 

 the black-and-white humble, the red-hipped, 

 and the golden-yellow. In Scotland these 

 are called ' garreck,' 'red-end,' and ' foggie ' 

 bees ' fog ' in Scotland meaning moss. 



The figures on the plate represent in 

 every instance the female bee. The males 

 are generally smaller. I shall mention the 

 average size in each case, expressed in lines, 

 but bees are exceedingly variable in dimen- 

 sions, and may not always agree with the 

 measurements which are here given. 



I shall first deal with the humble bees. 

 These nest in the ground at a greater or less 

 depth from the surface. Sometimes they 

 take possession of the nests of small birds. 

 The communities vary in number from two 

 or three score to two or three hundred. The 

 wax and honey which they prepare is inferior 

 to that of the hive bee, but boys find it 



