1894-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 17 1 



sea-coasts, their nest of withered grass and weeds being easily dis- 

 covered in the rush-like vegetation that clothes the sandy wastes. 



I examined a few of their nests and was somewhat surprised by 

 the excessive number of some of the parasites found therein. 

 The most abundant species was a Tachina-fly, Brachycoma david- 

 soni n. sp. Coquillett (see the appended description), of which 

 there were literally hundreds. The larvae, about half an inch 

 long when full grown, is very active and voracious. The eggs are 

 originally deposited on the larvae of the bee, which the Tachinid 

 larvae, after hatching soon consume, and, wandering around, 

 attack other larvae or penetrate the pupa-cells and devour their 

 contents. I placed some of the Brachycoma larvae in a glazed 

 pasteboard box about half a line in thickness, and the next day 

 found that a number of them had penetrated the sides and made 

 their exit; so the ordinary bee-cocoon is not likely to seriously 

 impede their progress. In a few instances at least the eggs seem 

 to be deposited within the pupa-case, as I have found as many as 

 twelve of the parasites in one cell and with no evidence of a point 

 of entrance; nor did it seem possible that such tiny larvae, appar- 

 ently but a few day's old, could penetrate the tough cocoon. 

 Before pupating the larvae eats its way through the cocoon and, 

 hiding among the debris near the ground soon transform. Of 

 these parasites but few were observed before the first of Septem- 

 ber, when the approach of Winter probably lessened the activity 

 of the bees. During the latter part of this month and through- 

 out the remainder of the season some of the nests fairly swarmed 

 with them. The majority of the pupae hatched out in 17 or 1 8 

 days after transforming; those remaining are, now March, begin- 

 ning to produce the perfect flies. 



Ephestia kuehniella Zeller. The Mediterranean flour moth 

 larvae are found along with those of the firachycoma, and in the 

 majority of instances are quite as abundant. I have not observed 

 them attack the larvae of the bee and presume that they live on 

 the bee-food, since late in the Autumn, when the bees have for- 

 saken their nests, they are more numerous than at any other time. 

 Of those found at this season some hatch out in the Autumn, but 

 the greater number remain in the larva state until the following 

 Spring. 



What the larvae of the flour moth feeds on in other countries, 

 or whether their presence in the nests of the bumble bee is here 



