MYKMECOPHILOUS NOTES FOR PJ07. 255 



that it can give off the " Myrmedonia " smell when seized, and have 

 dissected it under the microscope, and disclosed the glands which 

 contain the acid. 



Myrmedonia limbata, Pk., was taken with Formica sanguined at 

 Woking. 



Myrmedonia cognata. — When a, few Lasius fuliginosus were put into 

 a small howl containing several Myrmedonias, one of this species was 

 observed to immediately attack an ant and kill it, biting it behind the 

 head. 



Staphylinus stercorarius was taken in a nest of Myrmica scabrinodis, 

 at the Forth Bridge, in July. 



Othius myrmecophilus was taken with Formica sanguinea at Nethy 

 Bridge. 



Ptilium myrmecophilum. — Dr. Joy has taken this little species with 

 Formica rufa at Bradford. Chislehurst and Scarborough are the only 

 two records south of Scotland given by Fowler. Bagnall has taken it 

 in Northumberland and Durham, and we have taken it at Oxshott 

 in June. 



Ptenidium gressneri, Er., occurred with Lasius fuliginosus at 

 Sherwood Forest in July. 



Dendrophilus punctatus has been bred by us this year in our 

 observation-nests of both Lasius fuliginosus from Wellington College 

 and Formica exsecta from Bournemouth. 



Diptera. — Microdon mutabilis. — On April 18th, a larva and pupa 

 of this interesting fly were taken on the underside of a stone over a 

 nest of Formica fusca at Porlock, and next day a number of larvae were 

 found in the galleries of another nest. This nest was taken, female, 

 workers, and all, and established as an observation-nest in my study. 

 A larva pupated on April 24th, and hatched May 21st. The pupa 

 puts out two small horns in front a day or two after pupation. The 

 ants are said to nurse these larvae as they do their ( 'occidae. I have 

 seen them gently bite at the larva. The latter generally sit in the 

 bare galleries of the nest among the ants ; there are still a good many 

 in my nest, which will probably hatch out next year. 



The Scatopse and the Phyllomyzas have hatched out of my Formica 

 rufa and Lasius fuliginosus nests in some numbers, as usual. 



Heteroptera. — Piezostethus formicetoi"um was taken in some 

 numbers with Formica rufa at Rannoch, it has not been taken in 

 Britain since Buchanan- White first discovered it at Braemar. 



Bracomd.p..- ( hasmodon apterus was bred out of my formica fusca 

 nest from Porlock on July 7th. It is recorded by Carpentier with 

 Lasius niger in France. 



Sp. 1, of my last year's list. I have bred a male of this handsome 

 species out of my Formica rufa nest this year. 



Sp. ? I have bred some six or seven specimens of a yellow 

 Braconid from my /•'. fusca nest from Porlock. 



Cynipid^;. — Kleditoma myrmecophila, Kciffer, n. sp. I bred this 

 species, one of the parasitic Cynipids, new to science, in some numbers, 

 in my Lasius fuliginosus nest from Wellington College. For description 

 see " Ann. de la Soc. Scientifique de Bruxelles," vol. 32. 



PsEUDoscoKPioMNA. — Chernes scorpioides. This species, which has 

 been kindly identified for me by Mr. Wallis Kew, has been taken on 

 several occasions with Formica tufa, at Weybridge. Mr. Kew went 



