Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU An Bee Lab 1-12-1894 The aH bits of the Aculeate Hymenoptera. II William H. Ashmead Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/bee_lab_an Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Ashmead, William H., "The aH bits of the Aculeate Hymenoptera. II" (1894). An. Paper 58. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/bee_lab_an/58 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Bee Lab at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in An by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PSYCHE. THE HABITS OF THE ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA.-If. BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, "\,VASI-IINGTON, D. C. Mr. E. Baynes Reed, in "Notes on sity of habits and should be more care­ Megachile brevis Say" (Can. ent. v. 3, fully studied, as this diversity of habits 1871, p. 210) · has figured this species will no doubt be found correlated with and records the following respecting jt. structural differences that will justify sub-generic divisions of this large genus. While Inspecting during the past summer, The cells are constructed_ of sand, the fruit orchard of a friend residing in this neighborhood, my attention was attracted by earth, or clay, agglutinated and mixed the peculiar appearance of the leaves of a with pebbles or the raspings of wood, young plum tree. At the first glance, I held together by a glutinous substance thought it might be atfected by Aphides, but, secreted by the female ; internally the on closer examination, I found unmistakable cells are always smooth, but externally evidence of the work of a leaf-cutting bee, in they are rough in conformity with the the circular holes in many of the leaves, and on opening one of the coils of leaves, of mat«;rial used in their construction. which there were four or five, I discovered These cells vary in number in each nest, the curious chambers of the bee, each con­ usually from. ro to 20 being found taining a half grown grub comfortably together. Each cell contains a deposit ensconced, with its modicum of food. I of honey-paste for the subsistance of the took some of the coils home, but only suc­ ceeded in rearing two perfect insects. larva, only a single larva or egg being found in each cell. Curtis found the The genus Osmia, structurally, 1s enormous number of 230 cells of the closely allied to Megachile, but the European Osmia parietina attached to species composing it construct nests the under side of a large flat stone. Mr. entirely different. They have received L. 0. Howard, in his article in the the name of "mason-bees," -from the Standard Natural History, calls atten­ way they construct small earthen cells tion to a remarkable case of retarded under stones, in burrows excavated in development in this species observed by decaying wood, rotten posts and twigs, Mr. Frederick Smith. "From a quan­ in deserted snail-shells, in cynipidous tity of cells collected in Scotland in galls, or elsewhere. 1849, about one-third only had given Very little seems to be known respect­ forth the adult bees. Some of the re­ ing the habits of the North American mainder issued the following year, while species, Dr. Packard, in his Guide, about thirty-five remained in the larva being apparently the only author who state until May, 1851, when they trans­ has written anything about them. From formed and issued a month later." his observations and those published One of our largest species, Osmia li'g­ abroad, the species exhibit great diver- nivora Pack., according to Ur. Packard, 40 PSrCHE. [March 189~. industriously tunnels out an elaborate odd situations for their nests, the British burrow in maple several inches from species Anthidz'ttm manicatum having the bark, wherein it forms its cells. been twice observed to nidificate in the The tunnel was over three inches long and key-hole of a garden gate. Prof. West­ about three-tenths of an inch wide. It con­ wood thus describes one found in a tracted a little in width between the cells, similar position. showing that the bee worked intelligently, and wasted no more of her energies than was There were twelve or fifteen cells or cases absolutely necessary. The burrow contained consisting externally of a loose covering of five c:ells each half an inch long, being rather white down within which was another cover­ short and broad, with the hinder end rounded ing more compact and smooth on the inside while the opposite and next to the one ad­ and within this was contained an oval cell, of joining, is cut off squarely. The cell is some­ a strong coriaceous texture, and of a chestnut what jug-shaped, owing to a slight constric­ color. This latter l consider to be the cocoon tion just behind the mouth. The material of formed by the larva itself, because some of which the cell is composed is stout, silken, my woolly cases contained a mass of matter parchment-like, and very smooth within. apparent:y consisting of dried pollen-paste The interstices between the cells are filled and the egg deposited with it which had with rather coarse chippings made by the probably on some account proved abortive; bee. and in these there was no oval chestnut­ The bee cut its way out of the cells in colored cocoon. It was in February that this J\Iarch, and lived for a month afterwards on a nest was discovered, at which period some of diet of honey and water. It eagerly lapped the cells were empty, the inhabitants having up the drops of waler supplied by its keepei-, forced off a circular cap from the top of the to whom it soon grew accustomed, and whom cocoon and escaped; others, however, con­ it seemed to recognize." tained full- ized grubs. Osnzz'a lignan'a and 0. pacijica Say, No observation seems to have even on the contrary, build their cells under been published on any of our numerous stones, while 0. sz'mz'llima Smith, one species, although many of the species of the smallest of our species, constructs are so plentiful. its cells in the deserted oak-galls made The genera Coelioxys L atr. and by Ampliz'bolips con.fluens Harris, th~ Stelis Panzer are parasitic bees, both agreeing with Osnzz'a gal/arum of having been bred in Europe; the Europe. I have also observed another former from the cells of Megachile, species in a deserted oak-gall in Florida. Anthophora and Anthidium, the latter Species in the genus Anthz'dz'um, from Osmia. No observations on any according to Westwood, "frequent vari­ of the American species have ever been ous woolly-leaved flowers, stripping off recorded. the down with thei r toothed jaws for the Although the parasitic habits of purpose of forming their nests " Stelis was so long known it was not The Anthidii, as with certain Odyneri, until last year that the true inward his­ although said to nidi ficate usually in tory was given in the publication of holes in trees, will sometimes choose Mr. C. Veshoeff's observations on March 1894.J PSYCHE. 41 Stelis minuta Ny!. (Zool. anzeiger, This statement must, however, be vol. xv, 1892, pp. 41-43). erroneous, as it does not agree with This species was found to be para- observations of mine made on a com­ . sitic in the nests of Osmia leucome­ mon American species. It was evi­ laena Kirby which constructs its cells dently based upon insufficient data, in hollow twigs. Dr. Riley's summary just as was found to be the case re­ of this species is as follows: - pecting St. Fargeau's statement about At the bottom of the cell the female Osmia Sphecodes being parasitic in the cells first puts a layer of pollen which is to serve of Halictus. as food for the nearly full grown larva. The past summer, while in Missis­ Above this pollen, the bee commences to sippi, I was fortunate enough to store the cell with prepared bee-bread. At stumble upon several specimens of th i moment the female Stelis watches her Epeolus donatus Smith rnaking their opportunity to lay an egg in the Osmia cell, the egg thus being always near the bottom burrows, and I am thus enabled to (posterior end) of the food mass. Unaware assert that this species is not parasitic of the presence of the parasite egg, the but builds cells and deposits honey­ Osmia female continues her work, and, after paste for its off.5pring, just as many nearly filling the cell, deposits her own egg other solitary bees. My observations on the top (anterior end) of the food mass. The cell is then closed with a layer of throw grave doubts upon the reliability macerated particles of plants and a &econd cell of Shuckard's statement and lead me prepared above the first. The Stelis larva to believe that he had cells of both hatches but little earlier than that of the Epeolus and Colletes mixed together 0 mia, and both larva feed on the food­ in his breeding jars, when his speci­ mass, the parasite larva at the bottom, the mens were reared. host larva at the top. The latter remains tationary at the top and grows very slowly; On the plantation where I was stay­ the parasite larva grows more rapidly, and ing, near Utica, Miss., Epeolus dona­ gradually works its way upward through the tus was observed making its burrow food-mas , thus gradually approaching the in hard clay, beneath a cotton-gin Osmia larva.