Insects. 7015 



and black body evidently mark them as a different species from either 

 of those I have been describing. 



B. Hortorum. This species is very common, but generally in small 

 communities, numbering from ten to fifty. It is very similar to B. 

 subterraneus, especially the females. Their flight is of the same 

 dodging jerking order as the latter bee, but their nests are generally 

 near the bottoms and lower parts of old garden walls : the great 

 Linneus has given them the right name ; indeed all the Bombi have 

 been admirably named by that great naturalist, in allusion to their 

 habits. The nests of B. Hortorum are seldom far under ground ; the 

 few that I have met in the open garden walks are not more than six 

 inches, and they are very apt to be destroyed by the field mice. I 

 have had two nests in different gardens, but never noticed any males 

 issue from them. They fly near the ground like B. subterraneus, but 

 on the whole are not so interesting as several of the others. They 

 abound all over the kingdom. I have had less experience in handling 

 these than any of the others enumerated by me ; if the males even 

 return once to the nest a desertion by these soon takes place : I have 

 never watched this species so intently as I have the others, and cannot 

 say positively as to the exact habits of the males, but presume they 

 seldom or never return to the nest after leaving it. 



B. Miiscorum (moss carder, moss builder, and in Scotland, foggy). 

 This is a most common species, building in the moss generally at a short 

 distance from the tread of cattle, in hedge banks, &c. ; the colour is 

 a dark tawny yellow. The female is one of the latest in making her 

 appearance in the spring, and as she prefers the larger blossoms of 

 dead nettle, snapdragon, foxglove, and all the later wood flowers, it 

 seems wisely ordered that her appearance should be late. I have had 

 a great many nests of this species, and can testify that their sting is 

 about the sharpest of any of the whole genus ; this species flies near 

 the ground ; the males are a slight degree lighter in their colour. They 

 fly low, and may be seen going their rounds in July and August, 

 stopping at various places in the embankments, and proceeding 

 onwards in fine weather. The individuals of this species are subject to be 

 easily destroyed by vermin, hedgehogs, foxes, and last, though not least, 

 by idle boys, as the nests are easily got at. My mode of capture is 

 as follows: I remove the whole nest, bees and all, with the help of a 

 knife or small spade, and then return it to its place ; I revisit the spot 

 after sunset and remove the nest to a box, and so capture them all. I 

 had many nests at various times in my gardens ; they work very actively 

 for some time ; I have known them do so vigorously until the middle 



