FOSSORIAL WASPS. 123 



who observed it at Porto Eico, it is in the habit of provisioning 

 its nest with a large grasshopper. It first digs its nest, and then 

 goes in search of a grasshopper. Having partially disabled it 

 with its sting, it mounts on its back, and rides it up to its own 

 grave, where it buries it. If the grave proves to be too small, the 

 wasp drives the grasshopper away while it enlarges it as much 

 as is required, and then brings it back to the hole. 



Family XII. — Sapygidce. 



Both sexes winged ; antennae as long as the head and thorax, 

 usually more or less clavate ; legs not spinose. 



We have two native species of this family : one, Sapyga 

 Punctata, Panz., black, with transverse white spots on the abdomen, 

 which is black in the male and red in the female ; and S. Clavi- 

 cornis, Linn., which is black, with yellow markings on the 

 abdomen. The first species measures nearly half an inch in 

 length, and the second is rather smaller. Mr, F. Smith believed 

 that this insect does not dig its own burrow, its legs not being 

 adapted to the purpose, but makes use of that of some other 

 insect, which it stores with caterpillars for the sustenance of its 

 future offspring. 



Family XIII. — Bemheddce. 



Collar small, not prolonged backAvards; lower mouth- parts 

 much produced, forming a kind of proboscis, as in the bees ; legs 

 stout, rather short, and the front legs furnished with strong 

 bristles. 



This small family is not represented in Britain, though found 

 in Southern Europe, and in all the warmer parts of the world ; 

 the two principal genera are Bembex, Fabr., and Monedida, Latr. 

 Most of the species resemble large wasps, being black, with yellow 

 belts ; but the pattern of their markings is so peculiar that they 

 may generally be recognised by that alone. The yellow bands are 

 generally interrupted in the middle, and deeply excavated on each 

 side in front. These insects form their burrows in the sand, 

 scratching a hole with their fore feet like a dog, as observed by 

 Sir S. S. Saunders in the Ionian Islands, and lay up a store of 

 Diptera or Hymenopteni, which they sometimes capture on the 

 wing, and sometimes fairly stalk down ; they then deposit their 

 eggs, and close up the hole. They fly rapidly from flower to 



