CARPENTER BEES. 
99 
life and habits is similar to the humble bee. 
Indeed the only apparent difference is in the sit- 
uation and formation of the nest. There are 
three sizes, the females being the largest ; all 
labor for the common good, and several females 
can occupy the same nest in harmony. 
The carder bee is not so large as the common 
humble bee, but rather shorter and thicker than 
the hive bee. Its color is similar to that of the 
withered moss or grass with which it builds its 
nest, — the fore part of the back being a dull 
orange, and the hinder part marked in rings of 
different shades of grayish yellow. 
Carpenter Bees. 
These ingenious little workers are especially 
partial to posts, fences, and the wood-work of 
houses which has become soft by the beginning 
of decay. Wood actually decayed, they reject 
as unfit for their purposes ; but they havs no 
objections to any holes previously made, if they 
are not too large. Sometimes they take pos- 
session of an old nest, repair and refurnish it, 
and thus easily provide a suitable dwelling. 
