2 2 HANDBOOK OF ANTS, BEES, ETC. 



Others attack bees, and are very mischievous, destroying great 

 numbers. 



Family 7, Crahronidce, — This family includes a considerable 

 number of solitary species of wasps. In colour they are generally 

 black spotted and striped with yellow, but many of them are 

 bright red. 



The typical genus Crabro is a very extensive one, including 

 over 150 species, a great proportion of which are inhabitants of 

 Europe, while even Britain possesses more than thirty. 



Crabro cribrariiis is the largest British species. Its food con- 

 sists principally of gnats and other dipterous insects. This insect 

 and many others burrow in the ground, generally in hard sand- 

 banks. Another species {Crabro brevis) frequents similar situa- 

 tions, and has been known to provision its nest with small 

 beetles. 



Fig. 21. — Chlorion Virid'seneum. 



Fajnily 8, JVyssofiidce. — This family is not a numerous one 

 comparatively. 



Mellimis arvensis is a black insect, about half an inch in length, 

 with stripes on the abdomen and yellow legs. It provisions its 

 nest with flies, and not being able to capture them by swiftness, 

 runs past them when they are resting in an unconcerned manner 

 till they are thrown off their guard, when they are pounced upon 

 and carried off to the nest. 



Family 9, La7^ridce. — This family very much resembles the 

 last. The species are mostly small insects, few of them measuring 

 half an inch in length. They are usually black, sometimes with 

 the abdomen red at the base. 



Family 10, Sphegidoi — Most of the insects included in this 

 family feed upon grasshoppers, and the manner in which they 

 procure their prey is very curious. In attacking their bulky prey 



