28 



thick fleshy maggot. In this form it continues to feed on the young bees or the bee 

 brea.l and honey stored for their use, and after passing through some remarkable changes 

 while in the larval condition, first changing to a semi-pupa, then to another form of larva 

 It subsequently assumes the true pupa state, in which condition it remains in its snu" 

 retreat until the following spring, when it bursts its bonds and appears as a beetle 



The young Mdoe larva; often attach themselves to the hairs of insects which construct 

 no cells and do not store up food for their young ; and in such cases, which must be very 

 numerous, they necessarily perish. In the light of this fact we can appreciate the import- 

 ance of the great fecundity of the females. 



The laiva of Cantharis resicatma is almost identical in form with that of Meloe but 

 soon after escaping from the egg it changes from a yellow to a darker hue, and finally to 

 a deep black. •' 



■ The history of our American species is as yet very fragmentary. Dr. Packard has 

 observed the larva of Meloe angustkollis, and found it to differ but little from its European 

 congeners. In a recent number of the Canadian Entomologist, Mr. W. Brodie, of Toronto 

 gives some highly interesting ob.servations on this species, extending over a series of 

 years. He says : — 



"According to my experience, AMoes make their appearance in the perfect state 

 about the end of August or beginning of September, when they feed greedily on Rnmm- ' 

 cuius acris. Later in the season, when the abdomens of the females are much enlarged 

 they pair and later still— sometimes after the first frost— they deposit their eo-gs and in- 

 variably die that season. ° 



'• The larvK emerge from the eggs early the following spring, and I think attach 

 themselve.s to bees generally on the blossoms of the willow. I presume this becausci 

 often hnd females about to oviposit near to willow bushes, but I have detected the young 

 larv.-e m the flowers of Caltha palustris, and suppose they will take to any early flowering 

 l>lant. J J o 



" In confirmation of these statements I submit the following from my notes on Meloe 

 in the vicinity of Toronto, dating from 1870. 



" Although Meloe is common here, I have never found them much further to the 

 north, and as I am pretty well acquainted with all parts of the county, I would say 

 tliey are not found in the central nor in the northern portions of the County of York. 

 1 Ills IS curious, as in the better wooded sections the storing Hymenoptera are more numer- 

 ous than about Toronto. 



• o/' J'^"*^--^"S- 30tli. In early morning saw several Meloes descending a white oak tree, 

 n bt. James Cemetery, which tree was afterwards blown down and proved to be a 6ee 



durino- tl'e Ti^ht ^'"P'''''' '" ^^^ ^•^^' "'"^ '^''^"" P"*'^''*' '^'^^^^^^ '^ 



" 1871. Mieloes first seen Aug. lOtL 

 " 1872— Aug. 20th. Meloes feeding on II. acris. 



nvi Jlv ^^""^"^'rP"^' '^■^'^"'' ^ery numerous, feeding on B. acris ■ found many females 

 ovipositing in a cold, wet situation, after first fall frost 



■„ .f Z\f''^~^T^\T\ u^T'' ''''""^ *°'"'^' ^^''"'^ <=l°^«'y li"ddled in a ball ; they were 

 no fighting and although both sexes were present, do not think they were pairing. ' None 

 ot the females had large abdomens, and when disturbed thev all quickly ran away. 

 f.„^i„ feept. Ist-lOth. Found about sixty Meloes, of both sexes, many of them pairing : 

 feeding on R acris, on a small m.rv patch, about one-fourth acre, bounded on the right 

 bj a smal stream ^vhich they could not cross ; on the left, about 150 yards up a bank, 

 « ere SIX hives of neglected bees. This is the same situation where, in ISTs" I found 

 females ovipositing after frost. 



n,.l J' ^f 'f T;:^"^' d"""*^- ^^'^r '\ '*'"'' localities as last season. Captured several fe- 

 males ; fed them on R. acris; they began ovipositing Sept. 20th. Oct. 20th, all dead. 



JnnUf f ""'"""• ;\° "'iT' ''*'°"'' ^'"' P'''^'^'^'^ •" ^ ^°1« ^'^^"t f i"<^h deep, and large 

 enough to receive the abdomen. '^ 



fnnn,l"H^"^~^i«^7/^^T^ ilM>« first scen. Sept. 1st, found about fifty in a ball as I had 



Zt^^^l "" •, -^^ "°V'""r "'t r""' "^'^" «g''^"'g °^ lairing ; cculd not make 



out vhat they were doing ; when disturbed they soon ran away. This season they 

 about as numerous as m 1875, in same localities at same dates. 



were 



