INSECT LIFE IN INDIA. 



665 



houses, flitting about and never stationary. Like other brilliant 

 metallic coloured Insects they love the hot sunshine. In India there 

 are numerous species amongst which may be mentioned Chrysis fusci- 



pennis (Fig. 54), a metallic green Cuckoo- 

 Wasp with a bine sheen which is found all 

 over India find Burma up. to elevations of 

 10,000 ft. This Insect is parasitic on three 

 species of Eumenes, laying its eggs in the 

 cells of these latter Insects {vide p. infra}. 

 Fig. 55.— Chrysis oculata (India Another species of Cuckoo-Wasp, Chrysis 

 anci Burma). oculata, also found all over India, and Burma, 



is metallic blue in colour with a copper-red spot on each side of the 2nd 

 abdominal segment. It is shown in Fig. 55. 



Series 3. — Aculeata. 



The trochanters of the legs consist of one piece and the abdomen 

 has six or seven visible segments ; the female is provided vith a retrac- 

 tile sting. Antennae usually 13-jointed in male, 12-jointed in female. 

 There are however numerous exceptions to this amongst the ants. 



The larvae are legless grubs of soft consistence and live either in 

 cells or, in the case of the social forms, in the abodes of the parents. 

 The larvae of the ants and Fossarial Aculeata have the anterior parts 

 of the body long and narrow and abruptly bent so that their heads 

 hang down. The pupa is always soft and gradually assumes the 

 colour and hardness of the perfect Insect. 



Fam. X. Apidse— Bees, 



The bees are usually very hairy Insects provided with elbowed anten- 

 nae ; the hairs may be simple, 

 spiral or plumose, the parts of 

 the mouth are elongated so as 

 to form a protrusible tubular 

 proboscis, which is sometimes of 

 considerable length. The hind 

 body is never narrowed at the 

 base into an elongate stalk as is 

 the case in wasps and Fossores 



FIG. W.-Apis dormta. The Big Indian ( cf * Fi £* 56 and Fi S* 67 )' The 

 Bee (India). basal joint of the hind foot is 



elongate, the tibia and tarsi of this leg being usually broad. 



