THE WASPvS AND BEES OF BARKUDA 



I S Iv A N D . 



By Cedric Dover, Assistant, Zoological Survey oj India. 



In spite of the fact that the Hymeiioptera of Barkuda were 

 not diligently collected, a fairly representative collection has been 

 made and a report on them will not, I think, be without value. 

 I have not attempted to deal with the few parasitic forms collect- 

 ed, nor with the ants, but of the latter it may be mentioned that 

 a race of Camponotwi coinpressus, and Phidolc rhombinoda are not 

 uncommon on the island.' Elsewhere in these reports Dr. Annandale 

 has made some interesting bionomic notes on these insects. 



Like the butterflies, the Hymenoptera are represented in the 

 main by common and widespread species, and many forms which 

 occur on the neighbouring islands and on the mainland are here 

 either scarce, or entirely absent. The fossorial families are fairly 

 well represented. Mutillids are scarce, Scoliids likewise, but the 

 Pompilidae and Sphegidae are common. Macromeris violaceae and 

 Sceliphron viotaccum are the most abundant fossorial hjnnenop- 

 terons on the island. Individuals of the various species of solitary 

 wasps found on Barkuda are rather scarce, and those of the only 

 two species of social wasps mentioned in the list, abundant. The 

 common yellow wasps (Polistes hebraeus) are not represented in the 

 collection, but the species is one which I have occasionally seen. 

 Individuals of the commoner species of Apidae are abundant, the 

 larger forms being found chiefly round the pea Crotolaria striata 

 and the abundant shrub Glycosmis pentaphylla ; the smaller, as 

 Nomia oxybeloides, in low herbage. The carpenter-bees are 

 common, but not quite so common as a casual observer would 

 think, as the brilliant effulgence of their wings and their noisy 

 booming ways render them conspicuous. Leaf-cutting bees are 

 abundant at certain seasons. One species {Megachile lanata) was 

 very common in April, and used to build a nest, composed 

 generally of six or seven mud cylinders, in anj^ available hollow 

 such as the backs of books and in keyholes and locks. The nests 

 appeared to be parasitized by Megachile disjimcta. In the intro- 

 duction to the fauna of the island it is stated that Apis florea is 

 common and .-1. dorsata scarce, Init I have never seen these species 

 on Barkuda and they are not represented in the collection. Dr. 

 Annandale informs me that he found honey of .4. /lorca from 

 Barkuda tasteless. 



' The Tailor-Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina is found on Barkuda, but it 

 apparently never succeeds in establishini^' a colony. Cf. Annandale in his intro- 

 duction to these reports. 



