I have often reared beautiful bees of the genus Osmia, which are also called mason-bees. Their glistening colors of blue and green possess a luster and reflection unsurpassed even by the metals themselves. These rear their young in cells of mud, in mud-cells lining hollow weeds and shrubs, and in burrows which they dig in the hard earth. In early summer, during warm days, these glistening gems of life are frequently seen in walks and drives intent on gathering earth for mortar, or digging holes, and will hardly escape identification by the observing apiarist, as their form is so much like that of our honey-bees. They are smaller; yet their broad head, prominent eyes, and general form, are very like those of the equally quick and active, yet more soberly attired, workers of the apiary.
Other bees—the numerous species of the genus Nomada, and of Apathus, are the black sheep in the family Apidæ. These tramps, already referred to, like the English cuckoo and our American cow-blackbird, steal in upon the unwary, and, though all unbidden, lay their eggs; in this way appropriating food and lodgings for their own yet unborn. Thus these insect vagabonds impose upon the unsuspecting foster-mothers in these violated homes. And these same foster-mothers show by their tender care of these merciless intruders, that they are miserably fooled, for they carefully guard and feed infant bees, which with age will in turn practice this same nefarious trickery.
I reluctantly withhold further particulars of this wonderful bee family. When first I visited Messrs. Townley and Davis, of this State, I was struck with the fine collection of wild bees which each had made. Yet, unknowingly, they had incorporated many that were not bees. Of course, many apiarists will wish to make such collections and also to study our wild bees. I hope the above will prove efficient aid. I hope, too, that it will stimulate others, especially youth, to the valuable and intensely interesting study of these wonders of nature. I am glad, too, to open to the reader a page from the book of nature so replete with attractions as is the above. Nor do I think I have taken too much space in revealing the strange and marvelous instincts, and wonderfully varied habits, of this highest of insect families, at the head of which. Stand our own fellow-laborers and companions of the apiary.
Fig. 3.
THE GENUS OF THE HONEY-BEE.
The genus Apis includes all bees that have no tibial spurs on the posterior legs. They have three cubital or sub-costal cells (1, 2, 3, [Fig, 3])—the second row from the costal or anterior edge—on the front or primary wings. On the inner side of the posterior basal tarsus, opposite the pollen baskets, in the neuters or workers, are rows of hairs ([Fig, 23]) which are probably used in collecting pollen. In the males, which do no work except to fertilize the queens, the large compound eyes meet above, crowding the three simple eyes below ([Fig, 4]), while in the workers ([Fig, 5]) and queens these simple eyes, called ocelli ([Fig, 5]), are above, and the compound eyes ([Fig, 5]) wide apart. The queens and drones have weak jaws, with a rudimentary tooth ([Fig, 21, b]), short tongues, and no pollen baskets, though they have the broad tibia and wide basal tarsus ([Fig, 16, p]).
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.