318 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



wincr veins and legs darker. These distinctions are even more 

 evident in the males. The males of S .mandibularis have more 

 of the white pubescence, and the abdominal markings are also 

 paler, being yellowish instead of reddish. In the female the 

 abdomen shows the same variations as in ^S'. mandibularis. 



Sphecodes ranunculi. 



5. — Head and thorax black, abdomen entirely red ; vertex 

 and face, including clypeus, densely and evenly punctured ; 

 mandibles bidentate, rufous towards tips ; labrum short, en- 

 tire; flagellum dull ferruginous beneath ; mesonotum closely 

 and strongly punctured, more sparsely on the disc, which is 

 shining; scutellum shining, with a median punctured line; 

 metathorax coarsely reticulated, without defined inclosure, 

 presenting a small truncation; wings hyaline, increasing fus- 

 cous clouded towards tips, stigma fuscous, nervures and 

 tegulae exteriorly dull testaceous, second submarginal cell un- 

 usually narrowed towards marginal, about one-half ; legs 

 black, apical joints of tarsi dull ferruginous; abdomen shin- 

 ing, almost impunctate at base, the punctures increasing in 

 size and number towards the apex ; second segment depressed 

 basally. Length 8 mm. 



^. — Resembles the female; antennae, mandibles and labrum 

 blacker; antennae long, second and third joints subequal, 

 fourth usually longer than fifth and longer than second and 

 third together; wings more hyaline, dusky at tips; meta- 

 thorax presenting a semicircular inclosure with rugae usually 

 longitudinal; mesonotum more closely punctured and with 

 central raised line more evident ; seventh segment of abdomen 

 evident, broadly rounded. Length 8 mm. 



Illinois, 1 5, 8 ^ specimens. 



This species may be distinguished from S. dichrous by its 

 smaller size, more dense punctuation of mesonotum and cly- 

 peus, and second submarginal cell more narrowing towards 

 marginal. 



'o 



Sphecodes heraclei 5. 



Black, shining, first three abdominal segments red ; head 

 coarsely and closely punctured, less closely on clypeus and 



