449 



HUMBLE BEES AT WEST AYTON, YORKS. 



Rev. W. C. HEY, M.A. 



During the past season, I have been collecting and studying 

 the Humble Bees, which occur within four miles of West Ay ton, 

 near Scarborough. These Bees belong to the two genera 

 Bomhiis and Psithyrus. The latter is a ' cuckoo ' genus, 

 parasitic on Bomhus. Consequently there are only males and 

 females in Psithyrus, no workers being required as in the case 

 of Bomhus. I have been assisted greatly in collecting by Mr. 

 C. H. Laycock, of Newton Abbot, and in identifying species, 

 by Mr. Saunders, of Woking, the well-known Hymenopterist. 

 The records are consequently absolutely trustworthy : — 



BoMBUS SMiTHiANUS White. 



The discovery of this rare and beautiful golden-haired 

 bee was a surprize. I took a specimen in August on Carduus 

 lanceolatus in the wild ' carrs,' two miles south of West Ayton. 

 Mr. Laycock also got two specimens there, and a third in a 

 clover field. We got males and workers, but no queens. 



B. AGRORUM Fab. 



The common wholly tawny humble bee swarms everywhere 

 all through the summer. It varies much in colour. The 

 abdom^en of the male is sometimes black. We found nests 

 in Forge Valley. 



BOMBUS LATREILLELLUS Fab. 



The type form does not seem to occur here, but the rare 

 variety distinguendus Mor., is plentiful. The queens occurred 

 in Yedmandale, in May, on Orchis wasc^^/a, 'with bunches of the 

 poUinia on their heads. Later in the year we took many work- 

 ers and males, generally on Carduus lanceolatus. They were 

 particularly abundant in the upland lanes that led to the moors. 



BoMBUS HORTORUM Linn. 



A most abundant species, distinguished by the extraordinar}^ 

 length of the tongue, which enables it to reach the honey in 

 leguminous flowers, and other very long-tubed blossoms. It 

 varies in size perhaps more than any other species. 



Var. SUBTERRANEUS. 



A gigantic dark-coloured form of hortorum, which was com- 

 mon in my garden. 



1908 Deeember i. 



