The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1890-01-18
the LeAF.CuIrin0 BEE.
strange Doinss Of . Particularly isdus
sPious Insect

strange Dotnxs at . Particularly Isdus-
trious Insect.
OF all our visitors. however. the
most Interesting Is tho leaf-cutung
t,ea who comes to work upon hn old
fa.hioned blush-rosebush which forms
a pnr, OF a side wall OF our parlor.
Bees, you know. are such busy Great
ures that they can not even make
call without taking their work with
them. and IL was the faint sound OF
his Industry that first drew attention
/ to our new friend on II leaf OF tho rose
bush Looking closely to sec what the
stranger was about, We were amazed
to lind that. having placed herself
as,rlde OF tho edge Of tho leaf. the bee
Was deliberately cuttin. out with her
jaws u piece o! tho leaf. rolling II
up beneath her ms she did 80. We
tried TO trace her hishi when the
cutting was done. but this astonishing
visitor bati.ci u, In our pursuit by div
appearing quito suddenly into the
earih-lus, where We could not dis-
cover.
When all these strange doings were
related At tho d.nner table tn. family
puns,er declared that such = perform
anee OF hee on leaf WAS clearly be-
You'd belief. aad bad no, the beo COR
,lnucd her visits, glvln: all an oppor-
,unl,y OF forming her acquaintance
nnd seeing her work. the truth OF our
necoun, oil Mr.. Bee might Sill b.
doubted
7 Happily she was not easily dis,urhei,
and At call from some watcher IN
the outdoor psrlor, 'lho bao i -,
work. We could gather qglte closely
around 10 observe her. when she haG
carefully cho.en the Leaf that best
suited her and began tho work Of CUT
ting IL Toward the close o. the sum
mcr the selection o! leaves was made
with greater care. -om-iimc, IS mAay
as six leaves being Inspected be!o-e
ono Was found sufficiently tender for
her purpose Often when NJ, Be-
started for homo her rol. Of work We
80 heavy tha; she fairly ,umbl-d %
tho leaf -i,h IL, and had 20 pause A.
In,tan; TO recover her balance before
braya'y carrying II away. bgi where
did shs take her load. and VIA; ala
shc do with those nicely Gu; pieces o.
leaf? sho wa, too busy 20 toll Us; and
although 40 were eager 20 rctgrn her
cll.f. We could 20; discover kcF home.
ari could not imagine Why sho Cot
rec leaves 70 !atz.is!ously. uE,gl We
hsppene1 u9ou o book. For C.Eylgoa.
ono iay which io'd "a, all Abog, Il.
Il seems ;ha, these bce, build nests
Of tho leaves Of tho rosa aad Other
tree, under Ito surface o. the ground
or In old God These nests aTr some
time, ,!a Inches deep. aad generally
consist o! six or seven cells. each
shaped like ,hImbl.. tho closed cad
Of ono ihlmbl. ai,lag !aio tho open
end o, another. When coll 4, formed
of In, piece, Of leaf. such n. we've
watched IL. bco cut out t IL oiled
with honey. and 40 nicely arc tn.
coils ball, that they hold tho liquid
honey Slihou, leakage. On tho coll.
fGll of honey an or. il deposited. and
then tho cell IL closed with thrro cir.
culnr bit, o! leaf for n cover. Mr..
Ru.kln says tho bss pushes down tbs
ii,,l, coll cover. with a iueksd-up rim
quite tight. uso tho covering Of y 20
Of preserve. Think Of each youn.
tco having nies ii,iio pot OF hone,
all to i,.cl!'-liarprr'. Young People.