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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.