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36.)

3rd March 1950.  

Colder than 2nd with rather sharp NW-W wind;  mainly cloudy, with drizzle before breakfast, then fine, then a jam with quite heavy rain & then mainly dry and dull in afternoon.  In afternoon we walked to Rathfarnham Bridge, down the Dodder & home via Orwell Road.  Several ♂︎ willows out on left bank of river just about the weir below Rathfarnham Bridge & saw on one a small bird we could not identify.

On path just above new footbridge across river to park at Orwell Bridge Daisy found a torpid ♀︎ Bombus terrestris:  I carried it into the park & hid it at foot of a tree in an old cigarette cargon to keep it dry in case it rained during the night & in the hope that tomorrow would be sunny.  See below under 5.3.50.


4th March.
A most lovely sunny afternoon after a dully misty morning.


5th March.

All sunny after 9 AM. when misty clouds melted.  Rest of day with very hot sun & blue sky & very gentle easterly zephir.

Bombus lucorum seen in garden at noon;  & again in afternoon at ♀︎ Salix cinerea catkins till 5 P.M.  At 1.45 PM. a small ♀︎ B. jonellus at ♀︎ Salix;  at which ☿☿ Honey Bees busy all day long.  In afternoon walked to park by the Dodder above Orwell Bridge & found that the Bombus terrestris 


37.)

5.3.1950, cont.

hidden at foot of tree in cigarette carton on 3rd was no longer in it & so I hope she is safe & well.  On way up to Rathfarnham Bridge saw a ♀︎ Bombus (size of lucorum!) at ♂︎ Salix across the Dodder & below Meadow Bank;  also many Honey Gees & one Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly.  Daisy saw the B. lucorum at flowers of Daphne blaggiana [[blagayana]] (& I Honey Bees) in back garden during forenoon!


6th March 1950.

Another beautiful day but foggy next early did not really clear all day & fell again early in afternoon & so robbed the sun of much of its heat.  About noon saw a ♀︎ B. lucorum on ♀︎ Salix in back garden;  & at 2.30 on way up Rathgar Avenue Daisy spotted a queen wasp, which I was able to prove to be Vespa vulgaris.  Took bus to Ballyboden & walked back to "Pussys Lep" & so home by 49 bus in time to let George, who had been home for weekend, get his tea & catch 6.15 back to Belfast.

Marcus Graham, who came in evening, reported seeing a ♀︎ B. agrorum in Trinity Coll. Bot. Gardens on this day.


7th March.

A still more perfect day & no mist or fog after 10 A.M.  Saw ♀︎ B. lucorum in back garden several times in afternoon & a ♀︎ Wasp trying to get out of motor house.  Started to feed the snails after winter sleep.