34 Genera of Wild Bees, 



soberly attired, workers of the apiary. The beautiful spe- 

 cies of Ceratina look much like those of Osmia, but they 

 nest in hollows in stems of various plants, which in some 

 cases they themselves form. In south-western Michigan 

 they do no little harm by boring the blackberry canes. 

 They have simple hind legs. 



Other bees — the numerous species of the genus Nomada, 

 and of Apathus, are the black sheep in the family Apidse. 

 These tramps, already referred to, like the English cuckoo 

 and our American cowr-blackbird, steal in upon the unwary, 

 and, though all unbidden, lay their eggs; in this way 

 appropriating food and lodgings for their own yet unborn. 

 Thus these insect vagabonds impose upon the unsuspect- 

 ing foster-mothers in these violated homes, and these same 

 foster-mothers show by their tender car£ of these merciless 

 intruders, that they are miserably fooled, for they carefully 

 guard and feed infant bees, which with age will in turn 

 practice this same nefarious trickery. The Apathus spe- 

 cies are parasites on the Bombus; the Nomada species 

 which are small bees, often beautifully ringed, on the 

 small black AndrensB. 



The species of Andrenae, Halictus, the red Sphecodes 

 and others of the Andrenidae of some authors, have short 

 flat tongues, with equi-jointed labial palpi. These bees 

 have been little studied, and there are very numerous unde- 

 scribed specres. 



I reluctantly withhold further particulars of this won- 

 derful bee family. When first I visited Messrs. Townley 

 and Davis, of this State, I was struck with the fine coUec- 

 .tion of wild bees which each had made. Yet, unknow- 

 ingly) they had incorporated many that were not bees. 

 Of course, many apiarists will wish to make such collec- 

 tions and also to study our wild bees. I hope the above 

 will prove efficient aid. I hope, too, that it will stimulate 

 others, especially youth, to the valuable and intensely 

 interesting study of these wonders of nature. I am glad 

 to open to the reader a page from the book of nature so 

 replete with attractions as is the above. Nor do I think I 

 have taken too much space in revealing the strange and 

 marvelous instincts, and wonderfully varied habits, of this 



