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248. 15th Nov. 1951, cont. [[margin]] See diary Nov. 1952 for further records & recorded nearby presence of an Arbutus tree! AWS. [[/margin]] we moved on & about 100 yards further on we met another ♀︎ Bombus terrestris crawling on the footpath & somewhat torpid. Having picked up this ♀︎ on my hand I placed it amongst ivy & other herbage at the base of the hedge. This, 15th Nov., is I believe my latest date of seeing a Bumble Bee active, but I cannot suggest whether these two ♀︎♀︎ are recently emerged bees or whether they were awakened from temporary hibernation by the very warm sun of this forenoon. A slight frost had occurred on night of 12th-13th Nov. after wet & mainly mild weather for some time. There seemed no reason why the sun of this day should have awakened these ♀︎♀︎ any more than the sun on many previous days & I am more inclined to think that they were hatched from a derilect nest in which some pupae had remained alive & only now "hatched". Both specimens appeared very fresh & in perfect condition. 16th. Nov. 1951. After rain at night another fine day with much hot sun, mild; but in afternoon 2.30 till 3.30 a severe rainstorm passed over with strong W. wind. Cleared later, but some more rain at night. 249.) 17th Nov. 1951. Tough glass low & falling all day, a fine day with much very hot sun in forenoon & afternoon, though dull & threatening about midday; wind S.W. moderate mild. In afternoon Daisy & George went to Rathfarnham & walked along Butterfield Lane to where Bombus terrestris ♀︎♀︎ seen on 15th. As they passed the spot where the first seen on 15th a ♀︎ terrestris flew up & went over the Golf Links, but returned in a about a minute, circled round & then flew away strong. No other specimens were seen on path, bank, or at ivy blossom nearby; though wasps were seen at the ivy. 18th - 22nd Nov. 1951. Much colder weather with heavy showers though often hot sun. Passed through Butterfield Lane on 19th, 21st & 22nd but conditions poor & little or no chance of seeing a Bombus even if one had survived except on 22nd when at 11.30 AM. saw many V. vulgaris at ivy, but no sign of Bombus. 25th Nov. 1951. Wasps (V. vulgaris ☿☿) in plenty on ivy in hedge on hill from Dodder to Landscape at 2.30 P.M. in bright sun. 26th Nov. A ☿ wasp seen on ivy in Butterfield Lane, Rathfarnham, but no sign of a Bombus, at 3 P.M., though sun out & mild, but very strong N.W. Wind. 2nd Dec. Saw 2 wasps on roadside between Templeogue Bridge & Cosgrave's house.