530 



NATURAL HISTORY OF ARTHROPODS. 



is quicker of flight than the Mellinus, it is caught by slow approach or by stratagem. 

 The was}) will frequently run slowly past her intended victim in an unconcerned man- 

 ner until the latter is off its guard, when it is suddenly seized from behind and carried 

 away. A number of flies are thus caught and stowed away in a single burrow. A 

 single larva found feeding by Frederick Smith became full-fed in ten days, devouring 

 in that time six flies. The larva spins a tough, brown cocoon and remains within it 

 through the winter, transforming to pupa on the approach of the ensuing summer. 



The Bembecinae is another small sub-family, represented in Europe by Bembex, 

 and in this country by this genus and Monedula. The body is large and rather elon- 

 gate ; the head is large, and the legs are rather short ; the labrum is long, triangular, 

 and exserted. The habits are similar to those of Mellinus. The female of Bembex 

 rostrata burrows in the sand, excavating with great rapidity and throwing the sand 



FIG. 656. European wasps, a, b, Mellimts fircensin; c, e, Crrtbo patellus ; rl, Trypoxykm figulus ; f, g, Cerc.eris 

 arenaria ; h, Crossocerus scutellus; i, C. elongatulus; k, Bembex rostrata; I, Oxybelus uniglumis; m, Philan- 

 thus triangulum ; n, Mellinus sabulosus. 



out with its fore legs. Its stores consist ordinarily of dipterous insects, which it 

 captures, unlike Mellinus, on the wing. This species is subject to parasitic attack 

 from two dipterous insects, Panopea carnea and Toxophora fasciata. The American 

 species, Bembex fasciata, is common on the sea beaches at the north. Monedula is 

 slenderer and more highly colored than Bembex. M. Carolina is common in the cot- 

 ton fields of Alabama and Georgia, 



With the sub-family Nyssoninre, the mouth parts resume a more normal form, the 

 head is long, the antenna? somewhat clubbed, the jaws are not emarginate beneath, 

 and the legs are rather spiny. The abdomen is either sessile or petiolated. This is a 

 larger sub-family than the preceding, and does not differ markedly in habits. The 

 large species of the genus 8phecii<s, S. c/randis or S. speciosns, is very noticeable, 

 not only from its size, but also from the fact that it almost invariably provisions 

 its nests with the large harvest fly, Cicada maryinata. The habits of Sphecius 

 speciosus have been carefully observed by Mr. A. S. Fuller, who states that he has 



