Bramble-Bees and Others

This collection of natural-history essays examines the life histories of wild, mostly solitary bees through careful field observation. It describes nesting sites and building materials used by bramble-dwellers, mason-bees, Osmia, leaf-cutters, resin- and cotton-gatherers, and the architecture of their cells; analyses maternal control over sex allocation and variations in sex ratios; explores instinct, discernment, and strategies for economizing energy; and documents parasitic interactions, portress behavior, parthenogenesis, and the nature of bee venom. Throughout, methodical description and experiment illuminate species-specific behaviors and ecological relationships.