28 Species of Wild Bee^. 



like in form the queen-cells of our hive-bees. When the bees 

 issue from these cells the same are strengthened by wax. 

 Later in the season these coarse wax cells become very numer- 

 ous. Some may be made as cells and not formed as above. 

 The wax is dark, and doubtless contains much pollen, as do 

 the cappings and queen-ceUs of the honey-bees. At first the 

 bees are all workers, later queens appear, and stUl later maleg. 

 AU, or nearly aU, entomologists speak of two sizes of queen 

 bumble-bees, the large and the small. The small appear early 

 in the season, anfl the large late. A student of our College, 

 Mr. N. P. Graham, who last year had a colony of bumble- 

 bees in his room the whole season, thinks this an error. He 

 believes that the individuals of the Bombus nest exactly cor- 

 respond with those of the Apis. The queens, like those of 

 bees, are smaller before mating and active laying. May not 

 this be another case like that of the two kinds of worker-bees 

 which deceived even Huber, an error consequent upon lack of 

 careful and prolonged observation ? 



In Xylocopa, or the carpenter-bees, which much resemble 

 the bumble-bees, we have a fine example of a boring insect. 

 With its strong mandibles or jaws it cuts long tunnels, often 

 one or two feet long, in the hardest wood. These burrows are 

 divided by chip partitions into cells, and in each cell is left the 

 bee-bread and an egg. Species of Xylocopa often do no slight 

 damage by boring into the cornices, window casings, etc. , of 

 our houses and other buildings. I have also seen them slit 

 long tubular flowers like those of the wild bergamont. I have 

 often seen honey-bees visiting these slitted flowers, the nectar 

 of which was thus made accessible to them. 



The mason-bee — well named — constructs cells of earth and 

 gravel, which by aid of its spittle it has power to cement, so 

 that they are harder than brick. 



The tailor, or leaf-cutting bees, of the genus Megachile, 

 make wonderful cells from variously shaped pieces of leaves. 

 These are always mathematical in form, usually circular and 

 oblong, are cut — the insect making scissors of its jaws — from 

 various leaves, the rose being a favorite. I have found these 

 cells made almost whoUy of the petals or flower leaves of the 

 rose. The cells are made by gluing these leaf-sections in con- 

 centric layers, letting them over-lap. The oblong sections 

 form the walls of the cylinder, while the circular pieces are 



