THE BUMBLEBEE. 



Alany flies and small bees make their appearance earlier 

 in the year than the large bumblebee (Bombus) ; a few 

 warm days in succession, however, will bring Bombus bum- 

 bling around in search of pollen and honey. We will look 

 into the life history of Bombus just a bit, because we will 

 see her at work or see results of her labor wherever we go 

 in wood or field, and because she is one of the most useful 

 of insects. 



New colonies of bumblebees have to be produced each 

 year, for upon the approach of winter the workers and the 

 drones die, leaving only some of the females which hide 

 away and remain in a comatose state during cold weather. 

 Immediatelj' upon emerging from her winter retreat, Bom- 

 bus visits such pollen-bearing flowers as are open and allays 

 her hunger, then she looks up a suitable place for a nest, 

 on the ground in the grass or perhaps under the edge of a 

 stone. 



Wax cells are built, one at a time, until the little hive con- 

 tains a dozen or more. Each cell is filled with a mixture 

 of honey and pollen as food for the larvae that will hatch 

 from the egg she deposits in each, — then the cell is se^lfed. 

 The first family is composed wholly, or chiefly, of workers; 

 they build more cells in which the original queen lays eggs, 

 and the larvae are fed and cared for by the workers. This 

 second crop of bees usually appearing early in August,' is 

 composed of females and drones (males). 



The social life practically terminates at this time, the 

 nest being deserted and its occupants going in all directions, 

 mingling with those of other colonies. Therefore it is 

 seen that the social life is not nearly as complete as with 

 the well known honey-bees and the colonies are never nearly 

 as large. 



