THE CERCERIS. 



2-5 



carefully studied. These insects are very fond of dry ground 

 and sandy soils which are exposed to the noonday sun. They dig- 

 deep holes, and it is very remarkable that they should provision 

 them with beetles of the weevil tribe alone. It does not matter 

 what may be the species of the weevil, so that it is one of the 

 family ; in fact, ten or twelve species belonging to different genera 

 have been found in the nests of a Ccircris, which certainly 

 appeared to choose the toughest and strongest-skinned beetle it 

 can for the use of its very soft-skinned larvse. But the Hy- 

 inenoptera has the instinct to select weevils which have been lately 

 born, and whose integuments, therefore, are not very firm ; and, 



Cerceris arenaria. 



Females in different attitudes, those shaded darkly being magnified. A male natural 



size and magnified. 



on the other hand, the larvae appear to have no difficulty in 

 sucking the juices of their prey between the segments of its body. 



Cerceris quadriciiicta, which has been studied by M. Fabre, has 

 a great fancy for Aveevils, but it does not choose large ones, and 

 selects those of the genus Apion, the smallest of the family, so that 

 it has to collect at least thirty individuals to provision one of its 

 cells. Another Cerceris even attacks those beautiful beetles called 

 Biiprestis, many of Avhich glitter like diamonds ; and some kinds 

 chase other Hyuienoptcra, and one beautiful Cerceris seizes honey 

 bees, whilst an allied kind selects Ichncinnons as its prey. 



The genus PhilantJms is well known, in consequence of the 

 peculiar habits of one of its species, which is a great bee killer. 

 PhilantJms apivorus or trianguhuii has a black head and body 

 spotted with yellow, and its abdomen is yellow, but there is a 

 triangular black spot on each of its segments, so that it is an insect 

 readily distinguished. It digs galleries in paths in sandy soils, 



