24 



HANDBOOK OF ANTS, BEES, ETC. 



climates, we have only two small species belonging to the genus 

 Tiphia in Britain. 



They are black, with more or less reddish legs, and measure 

 from a quarter to half an inch in length. In south Europe we 

 meet with several large and handsome species, one of which, 

 Scolia hortonitUy is black with two 54llow bands on the abdomen. 



Fig. 23. — Scolia Hortorum. 



Family 15, Thymidce. — The insects of this family are almost 

 exclusively confined to Australia and South America, where they 

 are very numerous. They are generally of a black colour, with 

 more or less extended yellow markings. They are very stout 

 insects ; in fact, their bloated bodies give them very little resem- 

 blance to any other insects, except perhaps to the Oil Beetles. 

 Very little has hitherto been ascertained respecting their habits, 

 but they are believed to be parasitic. 



Family 16, Mi(tillid(X.. — This family includes a large number 

 of species, probably 1,500, but from the differences presented by 



Fig. 24.— Mutilla Maura (Male). 



the males and females, entomologists have found it difficult to 

 arrive at any certainty upon this point. The species are spread 

 over all the earth, but are particularly abundant in warm climates, 

 where also, as usual, they attain the largest size and the most 

 beautiful colouring. 



