1156 Insects. 



Bees feeding on Gooseberries. Having stepped amongst a bed of mixed gooseberry 

 plants, my attention was directed to the spoiling state in which I found the fruit, — 

 scarcely a single gooseberry being sound and perfect, the riper fruit altogether gone 

 beyond the least use, and that approaching ripeness presenting the appearance of be- 

 ing just attacked by birds, or even wasps. At first, indeed, I conceived that it could 

 but be the work of a number of the small, garden-haunting, feathered tribes, but on 

 closer inspection I saw how the destruction arose, and was not a little surprised at the 

 novelty, to me, of seeing a fair proportion of a swarm of bees thronging the gooseberry 

 plants, as intently as they may be observed culling their stores from a bed of sweet 

 thyme, or hovering over a profusion of honeysuckle and meadow-sweet. A single goose- 

 berry appeared to be perforated, and the whole of its interior disposed of, in a very 

 short space of time indeed. And the mode in which'the bees effected their attack, I 

 should say, was to make first an incision in the side of the fruit, and gradually con- 

 tinue to deepen it, until one whole side was perforated and laid open ; and the fruit 

 presented a similar aspect to a greengage taken possession of by wasps, and having 

 nothing left but the exterior covering or rind. The riper the fruit, of course the more 

 apparent was the attack, and if the bees had any preference as to the description or 

 sort of the fruit, the larger and red gooseberries seemed to possess the greatest attrac- 

 tion. On enquiry of the gardener, I learned that this, which was so novel to me in 

 the history of bees, was not by any means so to him ; but he added that it is not a thing 

 of every year's occurrence, and as far as observation and report extend, is to be ex- 

 plained by the fact of there not having been sufficient sun during the recent season to 

 advance the flowers and fruits to maturity in the usual manner. He observed also, 

 that he had previously been aware that bees will go to gooseberries for food, whenever 

 they are straitened to obtain a sufficient supply ; and this is at once established by the 

 very limited stock of honey which I understand the hives have this season contained. 

 Currants are too acid for them, and in gooseberries they seem to find an extract serv- 

 ing their purposes of labour, and aiding their existence and support. — Wm. Beare ; 

 5, Southwell St., Bristol, September 19, 1845. 



Wasps frequenting Fir-trees. 1 should be much obliged if one of your entomolo- 

 gical correspondents would explain what is the attraction which brings wasps to the 

 boughs of the silver fir. Both last year and this I have observed a very great num- 

 ber hovering immediately under the boughs. I have not seen them collect anything 

 from the trees, nor have I observed them on other firs, though they may very likely be 

 there, as my opportunities of observation are more with regard to that tree than any 

 other of the genus. The tree is full of them, and the noise is like that of a well-stocked 

 apiary. — H. T. Frere ; Roy don, September 3, 1845. 



A Nest of the Tree Wasp was taken on the branch of a holly tree. It was com- 

 posed of three or four moveable spheres, one within the other, in the interior of which 

 was a comb, containing thirty perfect cells, with two rows in progress. The entrance, 

 which was below, could be closed at pleasure by a rotation of the inner ball, which the 

 insect frequently accomplished whilst in the house, before an open window, while pass- 

 ing in and out with three young ones. — F. W. L. Ross ; Broadway House, Topsham, 

 Devon. 



Capture of Hymenopterous Insects, and Description of a new Astata. A record of 

 the following captures will, I trust, prove useful to some future collector of Hymen- 

 optcra, since it will point out a locality where some of the most rare fossorial species 

 are to be met with. 1 think it probable that such a day's collecting never before 



