132 
THE FLORIST. 
of 100; populous societies are, however, very rare, on account of the 
host of enemies that constantly prey upon and destroy all the varieties 
of these inoffensive creatures ; indeed, so numerous are their assailants, 
and so various the misfortunes that befal them, that they can but barely 
succeed in perpetuating their race. 
The females, of which there are as many as five or six produced in 
a nest, alone survive the winter; for as all the species collect only honey 
and pollen enough to support the nest during the summer, when 
autumn arrives their supplies fail, and the males and neuters die from 
want; the other sex, owing its preservation to a faculty of torpid 
hybernation, with which it must be purposely endowed. At the com¬ 
mencement of spring, however (usually when the violet comes into 
blossom) the survivors begin to show themselves, and each, after a time, 
becomes a mother or queen of a new family. 
In fine weather, in the last half of April, and in the beginning of May, 
they may be observed leisurely flying over the surface of the ground, in 
orchards and mossy places, patiently investigating any hole or crevice 
in the soil that affords them a chance of finding a building place ; those 
that form their nests on the surface of the ground are contented 
with a very small hollow lined with moss, usually under the shade of a 
tree, over which they contrive to draw and weave together a sufficient 
amount of that material to conceal and protect their comb ; their habi¬ 
tation, therefore, is found with no great difficulty; but the others that 
build under-ground can suit themselves with a resting-place only by 
unwearied perseverance and after a lengthened research, having no organs 
or instruments for excavating the soil, they are obliged to be contented 
with holes they find ready made ; and notwithstanding ridiculous stories 
about humble bees excavating holes, and cutting and combing moss, and 
handing it to each other, to be carried to their nest, like a troop of 
monkeys, the mouse must be regarded not only as the architect, but 
the upholsterer of these bees ; for it forms its nest at a convenient dis¬ 
tance under-ground, the materials being moss and a few leaves, and this 
exactly suits its successors, who take to its deserted habitation. The 
common garden humble bee may moreover be constantly observed at 
the time of year above mentioned finding its way through any opening 
into stables and other outbuildings, frequented by mice, and exploring 
every chink and cavity in the floors and walls ;—in these investigations 
numbers perish by being entangled in cobwebs and getting into other 
untoward places. 
As far as I have observed, it is about the middle of May that the 
mother bees begin to make their comb; this is formed of coarse wax, 
supposed to be made from the pollen of flowers, which is carried home 
in pellets on the hind legs of the bees, and which they are also supposed 
to swallow and return again from their stomachs in a state adapted to 
the purpose ; at the first stage it is about the size of a shilling or rather 
larger, with an open cup or cell in the middle to hold the honey which 
is to support the brood. The eggs are laid on the exterior of this first 
formation, and covered over with a leaf of the worked pollen, in ap¬ 
pearance somewhat resembling coarse brown paper ; from 10 to 15 
are to be found in one cluster. As the larvae attain age, they are sub- 
