1913.] 83 



TWO SPECIES OF ACULEATE HTMENOPTERA NEW TO BEITAIN. 

 BY LIEUT. -COLONEL C. G. NURSE, F.E.S. 



Crabro kiesenwetteri, Morawitz. In working out the 

 Aculeates captured by myself during 1912, I found that I had 

 obtained live specimens (2 ^j" (;^ , 3 9 ? ) of a species of Crabro, 

 belonging to the sub-genus RhopaJuin, which appeared to be quite 

 distinct from both tibialis (Fabr.) and clavipes (Linn.), the only two 

 members of the subgenus hitherto recorded from this country. As I 

 had examples of both C. tibialis and C. clavipes, I felt stu-e I had 

 obtained an insect not hitherto recorded from Britain. I therefore 

 sent the specimens to the Eev. F. D. Morice for his opinion. He 

 confirmed my view that the insect was new to this country, and 

 determined it as the species named by its discoverer, Kiesenwetter, as 

 nigrimis, and also described by Wesmael as gracilis. As, however, 

 both these names are pre-occupied by other insects of the same genus, 

 Mr. Morice considers that the name next in order of priority, viz., 

 kiesenwetteri, Morawitz, will have to stand. I have ascertained that 

 the same view is held by Herr Kohl, who is at present engaged on a 

 monograph of the genus Crabro, and I therefore now i-ecord it under 

 that name. Mr. Morice informs me that it stands under this name in 

 Schmiedeknecht's " Hymenoptera Mitteleuropas." 



The specimens obtained by me were taken at Ampton, Suffolk, 

 in June, 1912, and West Stow, Suffolk, in June and August, 1912. 

 The following modification of the key on page 125 of Saunders' 

 " Hymenoptera Aculeata " of the British Islands will enable the 

 species to be recognised : — 



(3) 2. Clypeus produced and raised at the apex, face with a short spine 

 between the antennae 



(rt) Apex of clypens triangular, tegula3 pale tibialis. 



(&) Apex of clypeus rather narrowly truncate, tegulse black. 



.. .kiesenwetteri. 

 (2) 3. Clypeus and face simple clavipes. 



C. hiesenwetteri is about the same size as C. clavipes (length 5-7 mm., 

 exp. 8-10) ; the abdomen is entirely black in both sexes. The ^ has 

 the 4tli joint of the antennae widened at the apex, the 5th joint deeply 

 incised ; the scape, all the trochanters, tbe anterior tibiae and tarsi, the 

 greater part of the intermediate tibiae and tarsi, and the base of 

 the posterior tibiae, yellowish white. The ? has the antennae simple, 

 the scape and all the trochanters black, and the tibiae and tarsi 

 much darker. 



