. Elementary entomology. Insects. HYMENOPTERA 269 m m The majority of the Long-tongued bees (Apidae] are solitary and have most diverse nesting habits : some make their cells in the ground, as do the miners ; others are potters, and fashion nests of mud, which are attached to the stems of plants ; some are carpenters, boring holes in wood ; while some go so far as to upholster their nests with neatly cut pieces of leaves, with which the cells are lined and covered. The leaf- cutter bees are peculiarly interesting forms, though of no particular economic importance. They bore a hole in soft or d
. Elementary entomology. Insects. HYMENOPTERA 269 m m The majority of the Long-tongued bees (Apidae] are solitary and have most diverse nesting habits : some make their cells in the ground, as do the miners ; others are potters, and fashion nests of mud, which are attached to the stems of plants ; some are carpenters, boring holes in wood ; while some go so far as to upholster their nests with neatly cut pieces of leaves, with which the cells are lined and covered. The leaf- cutter bees are peculiarly interesting forms, though of no particular economic importance. They bore a hole in soft or decaying wood, in the bottom of which is deftly fitted a piece of a leaf, rose leaves being commonly used, so as to make a thimblelike cup. In this the pollen and nectar are placed and an egg is laid, and then a circular-shaped piece of leaf is jammed down so as to make a tight wad over the cell, and another similar cell is made above it. The circular areas cut from rose leaves by these bees may frequently be noticed. Others are known as carpenter-bees, making their nests in wood. The smaller carpenter-bee (Ceratina of carpenter-bee. t1nf>la) inhabits the dead stems of sumac or the (Reduced) hollow stems of other plants, which are cleaned (After Jordan and ou^ ancl used over again by the young. Several cells are made and separated by little chips. When the tunnel is full, the female waits for her children to grow up. The lower one hatches first," says Professor Comstock, " and after it has attained its growth, it tears down the partition above it, and then waits patiently for the one above to do the same. Finally, after the last J * one in the top cell has matured, the mother FIG. 429. Nest. c leads forth her full- fledged family in a FlG. 430. a, carpenter-bee (Xyhcopa Carolina Linn.) ; b, first segment of hind tarsus ; c, same of bumble-bee (After Walsh). Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for
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