DIFFERENT A'WDS OF BEES, 21 



CHAPTER VI. 1/ 



DIFFERENT KINDS OF BEES.— HUMBLE BEES AND 

 THEIR USE. 



Hitherto we have only been speaking of bees in 

 very general terms — the common hive-bees that we 

 see working in our fields and gardens ; but there are 

 many other kinds as well, and, if we only use our 

 eyes, we shall soon see some of them. To find 

 specimens of them all, however, would be impossible, 

 for there are more than two hundred and fifty dif- 

 ferent kinds, in our country alone, and some of them 

 are very scarce, and many of them are only found 

 in particular places. 



One kind of wild bees, however, you will cer- 

 tainly find without difficulty — at least, in summer- 

 time. I mean the large humble bees, which make 

 such loud noise as they fly amongst the flowers, or 

 when by chance they come into the house. 



And then, besides these very large humble bees, 

 you will soon find many others of different shapes, 

 sizes, and colours — some of them very small. And 

 as you look along some dry, warm bank, you will 

 probably find the home of some one of these many 

 kinds. You will see a very small hole, and some of 

 the humble bees going in and out. And, if you follow 

 this hole a short way, you will find the nest beauti- 

 fully made ; although not made to last through the 

 winter, but only for the time necessary for the young 



