We now have, around my working-table, my books, my jars and my various appliances, a buzzing crowd that goes in and out of the windows at every moment.

I enjoin the household henceforth not to touch a thing in the insects' laboratory, to do no more sweeping, no more dusting.

They might disturb a swarm and make it think that my hospitality was not to be trusted.
During four or five weeks I witness the work of a number of Osmiae which is much too large to allow my watching their individual operations.

I content myself with a few, whom I mark with different-coloured spots to distinguish them; and I take no notice of the others, whose finished work will have my attention later.
The first to appear are the males.

If the sun is bright, they flutter around the heap of tubes as if to take careful note of the locality; blows are exchanged and the rival swains indulge in mild skirmishing on the floor, then shake the dust off their wings.