IV CERCERIS TUBERCULATA 57 



chances of the chase, capture Curculionidae most 

 various in genus, species, shape, and size. It has 

 long been known that Cerceris arenaria feeds her 

 young with similar food. I myself have found in 

 its burrows Sitona lineata, S. tibialis, Cneorhinus 

 hispidus, Brachyderes gracilis, Geonemus flabellipes, 

 Otiorhynchus maleficus. Cerceris aurita is known 

 to prey on Otiorhynchus raucus and Phytonomus 

 punctatus. In the larder of Cerceris ferreri I saw 

 Phytonomus murinus, P. punctatus, Sitona lineata, 

 Cneorhinus hispidus, Rhynchites betuleti. This weevil, 

 which rolls up vine leaves into the shape of cigars, 

 is sometimes of a superb metallic blue, but more 

 usually of a splendid golden copper. I have found 

 as many as seven of these brilliant insects laid up 

 in one cell, and the gorgeous colours of the little 

 heap might almost bear comparison with the jewels 

 buried by the huntress of the Buprestids. Other 

 species, especially the weaker, hunt smaller game, 

 the lesser size being compensated by numbers. 

 Thus, Cerceris quadricincta heaps in each cell some 

 thirty Apion gravidum, but does not disdain on 

 occasion bigger weevils, such as Sitona lineata, 

 Phytonomus murinus. Cerceris labiata also lays up 

 small species. Finally, the smallest Cerceris in my 

 part of France, C. julii, hunts the least weevils, 

 Apion gravidum and Bruchus granarius, game pro- 

 portioned to its own size. To end this list of 

 provender, let us add that some Cerceris follow 

 other gastronomic laws, and bring up their families 

 on Hymenoptera. Such is C. ornata. These tastes 

 being alien to our subject, let us pass on. 



We see that out of eight species of Cerceris 



