1921.] 137 



Donlsthorpe (1902), in a paper on tlio British jVryrniccophilous Fawia, 

 quotes Sharp at some length, and also gives some of the above records of 

 the bug being found with ants. 



Donisthorpe (1921) records the capture of larvae of this bug with 

 different species of ants in Cornwall and near Chichester in 1920. 



I am satisfied that I have very frequently seen the various stages of 

 the larva of Nahis lativeiitris with ants during the last twenty years. 

 The following list, however, consists of those specimens which I actually 

 captured with ants, the localities, dates, etc., being no led in my myr- 

 mecophilous journals and " pilot " files : — 



Larvae of various sizes running on paths in cnmpany with ^ ^ of 

 Fonuicd fusca sxud. A. (U.) niyer at Chale, 1. of W., on July 'I-^Va, 1900. The 

 smaller trpecimens occurred with the latter ant. 



A 3'ounp larva taken in a nest of F. samjuinea at Wellington College 

 September 17th, 1906. 



Young larva in nest of F. mfa, Tiibney, August 4tli, 1909. 



Several running about in company uith ^ ^ of F. fusca v. f/lcbaria a 

 Sandowu, 1. of W., August Srtl, 1918. " Very ant-like and about the same 

 size as the ants."' 



" Nubia larvae, various sizes running about with ^ ^ of i^. fusca \. (jleharia, 

 and amouiT Acanthoma ops [Chthonolasiiis)Jlaviis and A. {!).) iiltenns." The 

 larger spncimens with the larger ant, Sandown, August lOtL, 1913. 



A larva swept with ^ ^ of F. fusca v. (jlebaria at I'urthcothan Bay, 

 Cornwall, on July- 9th, 1920, being about the size of the ants ; and a smaller 

 specimen running over a nest of A. (1).) nujer at the same place on the same 

 day. 



One swept up by the side of a marsh near Chichester on August 17th, 19:20, 

 in company with ^ ^ and del. .9 $ of Myrmica scabrhunhs. This specimen 

 has yellow instead of white borders to the abdomen, and is the same size as the 

 scabrinodis 5 $ • 



Butler writes: — "If the antdike appearance is protective in 

 function, it would seem that, as ants do not alter in size, while this larva 

 does, the ant association should he with different species at different 

 I'eriods in the life-cycle, with smaller species of ants such as A. nigra 

 when the Nahis is quite young, and with larger species such as the 

 Formicae when it is more fully grown. This does not, however, ajipear 

 to be the case." 



It will be seen, however, in the above list that it so happens that in 

 my experience this is generally the case. I consider this insect to be an 

 ant mimic in its earlier stages, when it is usually found in the company 



