CARPENTER BEE. A solitary bee that excavates its nest in solid wood, in it dead twig, or in the pith-hollow of various plants; it repre sents in the United States various species of Ceratinidae and Xylocopidie. The former are smooth, active, Ily-like little bees, usually metal lic blue or green, of which the Peratina dupla, One luarter inch long, is a familiar example. It bores tunnels into the stems of pithy plants, and especially of brambles. This tunnel is di vided into silk-lined compartments by partitions made of agglutinated pith. _Nn egg, together with some pollen. is inclosed in each compart ment until the entire burrow is filled save a small space at the entrance just large (Tough to con tain the parent female, where she awaits the hatching of her children. The hatching occurs in each compartment in succession. beginning with the bottom, each bee tearing out the parti tion of it-. Own cell and awaiting the birth of the bee above it. When all are ready the female sallies forth with her brood, and soon after arranges for a second. The large carpenter bees of the family Xylocopida• are represented all over the northern United States by Sy/oropaz virgini•a, which is as large and noisy as a bum blebee, brit reversely colored. and its hind legs
bear tuft, of hair instead of pollen-baskets. This bee bores its tunnel,, which are nearly half an inch in calibre, in solid wood. such as that of dead timber. dry stumps, fence-posts, and un painted woodwork about houses and outbuild ings; it is therefore easy to observe the method in detail. A short perpendicular entrance made across the grain leads into the centre of a burrow following the grain. which may he 18 inches long. requiring a month's labor. The raspings formed in excavation are agglutinated, probably by salivary exeretions, into partitions dividing the burrow into cells about two-thirds of an inch long, in which the eggs arc placed together with balls of pollen and nectar. Several bees may use the same entrance to the tunnel and several chambers may run parallel, but usually they run in oppo site directions from the common door. These bees will often utilize an old burrow to save the great labor of digging. and would do so more regularly. perhaps, did they not often find them already preempted by other kinds of insects. See BEE, and see Plate of Mu) BEES.