Different species of bees may, however, sometimes be observed acting
differently at the same time on the same plant. I have seen hive-bees
sucking at the mouths of the flowers of the common bean; humble-bees of
one kind sucking through holes bitten in the calyx, and humble-bees of
another kind sucking the little drops of fluid excreted by the stipules.
Mr. Beal of Michigan informs me that the flowers of the Missouri currant
(Ribes aureum) abound with nectar, so that children often suck them; and
he saw hive-bees sucking through holes made by a bird, the oriole, and
at the same time humble-bees sucking in the proper manner at the mouths
of the flowers. (11/18. The flowers of the Ribes are however sometimes
perforated by humble-bees, and Mr. Bundy says that they were able to
bite through and rob seven flowers of their honey in a minute: 'American
Naturalist' 1876 page 238.) This statement about the oriole calls to
mind what I have before said of certain species of humming-birds boring
holes through the flowers of the Brugmansia, whilst other species
entered by the mouth.
The motive which impels bees to gnaw holes through the corolla seems to
be the saving of time, for they lose much time in climbing into and out
of large flowers, and in forcing their heads into closed ones. They were
able to visit nearly twice as many flowers, as far as I could judge, of
a Stachys and Pentstemon by alighting on the upper surface of the
corolla and sucking through the cut holes, than by entering in the
proper way.
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