154 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. [ Mesoleius 

renders its occurrence probable—since asingle @ was taken by Bridgman 
at Brundall near Norwich and doubtfully associated by him with Holm- 
gren’s female JZ. ery/hrogaster (Trans. Norfolk Nat. Soc. 1894, p. 626), 
before its synonymy by ‘Thomson appeared in 1895. 
20. armillatorius, Grav. 
Ichnewmon armillatorius, Gr. Vergl. Ubers. 1807, p. 262; Nov. Act. Ac. 1818, 
p. 285, ¢ (vec Thunb.). Tryphon armillatorius, Gr. I. E. ii. 182, 3, excl. varr. 
let 3; Ste. Ill. M. vii. 241; Fonsc. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1849, p. 221, ¢. T. luteifrons, 
Gr. I. E. 11. 215; Ste. Ill. M. vii. 246, ¢. Mesoleitus armillatorius, Holmgr. Sv. 
Ak. Handl. 1855, p.155; Jib. cit. 1876, p.41; Gir. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1871, p. 386; 
Mhoms: On Ee xix 20435 sou 
Head a little constricted posteriorly ; clypeus apically depressed, very 
slightly emarginate, with the actual margin entire; mouth, clypeus, cheeks 
and face stramineous. Antennae with scape stramineous, and flagellum 
ferrugineous, beneath. Thorax with callosity before and line beneath 
radix, in @ also pronotum, hamate mesonotal marks, sutures of pleurae, 
irregular pectoral marks and very rarely the notauli, stramineous ; meso- 
pleurae finely alutaceous and somewhat shining ; areola usually complete, 
its Carinae sometimes obsolete, and petiolar area distinct. Scutellum and 
postscutellum stramineous. Abdomen more or less broadly red centrally, 
@ venter stramineous; basal segment slightly longer than hind coxae 
with its basal fovea apically open and emitting two carinulae, apical 
angles obtusely rounded; second finely alutaceous with very distinct 
thyridii. Legs red and in dg paler; anterior coxae and trochanters 
stramineous ; hind tarsi, with apices of their pale tibiae, nigrescent. 
Wings with stigma piceous or infuscate, radix and tegulae stramineous ; 
areolet rarely complete, external nervure usually wanting; nervellus ante- 
furcal. Length, circa 7 mm. 
The centrally broadly red abdomen and flavous scutellum render this a 
pretty insect. 
It occurs throughout northern and central Europe from June to 
October; and is said to have been bred from Wematus (Macrophya) ribis 
and Lyda pyri by Goureau (Dours’ Cat. 53, cf. E. M. M. 1878, p.266), from 
Athalia spinarum, Blennocampa pubescens, B. melanocephala and Nematus 
salicis by Giraud (Ann. Soc. Fr. 1877, p. 407), and from Dineura verna by 
Klug. With us it is not uncommon and seems to put in two well defined 
appearances during the year, since I have taken it from z9th May to 6th 
July and from 26th August to 17th September withsome regularity, usually 
in marshy places but also in woods, where the birch bushes probably have 
some attraction for it, though it is occasionally swept from reeds and 
grass ; not rarely it may be seen upon the flower heads of Angelica syl- 
vestris and Alisma plantago-aquatica. It is recorded from Darenth Wood 
(Stephens), Guestling near Hastings in 1889 (Bloomfield), Brundall near 
Norwich (Bridgman), and Horrabridge in the middle of June (Bignell). I 
have seen it from Lastingham in Yorks, St. Albans, Nunton in Wilts 
(Marshall), and the New Forest (Miss Chawner); and taken it at Fox- 
hall, Brandon staunch, Bramford, Bentley Woods, and frequently in 
Tuddenham Fen in Suffolk, as well as in Wicken Fen in Cambs. and 
Roydon Fen near Diss, Norfolk. 
