PART 3 



MONOGRAPH OF THE MUTILLID WASPS OF THE GENUS DASYMUTILLA 

 OCCURRING IN AMERICA, NORTH OF MEXICO 



INTRODUCTION 



The genus Dasymutilla is represented in North America, north of 

 Mexico, by more species than any other genus of the family Mutil- 

 lidae, with the possible exception of one or two genera which are more 

 or less nocturnal in habits and concerning which we as yet know 

 very little. One hundred forty-two species and varieties are known at 

 the present time in North America, north of Mexico, Many more 

 species of this genus are to be found in Mexico and Central America 

 so that the genus is really a very large one. This number of course 

 may be somewhat reduced when the sexes of all the species are 

 correlated. The genus includes a number of species which are com- 

 monly met with, one of the largest, D. occidentalis (Linnaeus), hav- 

 ing received the popular name of " Cowkiller." 



The material which forms the basis of this study is the largest 

 collection of specimens ever assembled of a single genus of this 

 family. Such an assemblage of material was made possible by the 

 helpful and hearty cooperation of many persons, acknowledgment of 

 which is made elsewhere. Approximately 10,000 specimens have been 

 examined individually during the course of the work, each specimen 

 receiving the same care and precision in its determination, and a 

 determination label being attached to every specimen. While this has 

 added enormously to the amount of time and labor necessary to 

 complete the task, the advantages have been very definite. Many 

 errors have been eliminated in this way that would otherwise have 

 passed unnoticed, and considerable information gained that would 

 have been overlooked in a less intensive study. 



The host relationships are known for only a few species of Dasymu- 

 tilla. D. quadriguttata (Say) and D. permista Mickel have been 

 reared from Elis quinquecincta Fabricius according to Hayes (1924). 

 D. hioculata (Cresson) has been reared from Bembix pruinosa Fox 

 and Microhemhex monodonta Say by the writer (1924). D. ful- 

 vohirta (Cresson) has been reared from the cells of Anthophora 

 occidentalis (Cresson) by Dr. Francis Long and the remains of 

 55287—28 4 39 



