Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell

“ In the Mesilla Valley Melilotus indica, when massed in quantity, as was not the case at Embudo, is attractive to small bees (Halictus, Sphecodes, Colliopsis, Prosapis) at the beginning of May. I have taken Nomia nevadensis at Fallugia paradoxa at Albuquerque at the end of June; it is fairly attractive to hymenoptera when occurring in quantity; when collected at Embudo it was nearly over, only an occasional flower being seen. ”

“ The consideration of the above case suggests that flowers which are not particularly attractive to bees when open may gain something by affording good sleeping places when closed in dull weather. The bees, when the flowers opened, would fly away, carrying more or less pollen with them, which they might transfer to other flowers. This idea did not occur to me when the observations were made, so I neglected to note the facts which might confirm it. ”

“ Hermann Müller, in his 'Fertilisation of Flowers,' gives what might at first sight seem a very complete array of facts, but we find him strongly insisting on the incompleteness of his researches. In America the subject has only been seriously attacked by one observer, Mr. Charles Robertson, whose observations are confined to Illinois and Florida. ”

“ At Mesilla, May 29th, the flowers were visited by Calliopsis australior, Ckll.
(7.) Pyrus communis (cultivated pear) —On the farm of the N.M. Experiment Station, Mesilla Park, April 12th, the following were seen at the flowers:—Apis mellifera, several; Pyrameis cardui, many; Diabrotica 12-punctata, one, eating the petals. I do not find pear-blossoms at all attractive to native bees in New Mexico; in Europe, on the contrary, Müller observed seven different bees. ”

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