THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Vol. L.] SEPTEMBER, 1917. [No. 652 



\ 



V 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE 

 BRITISH BRACONID^. 



No. 3. MiCROGASTERIDJE. 



By G. T. Lyle, F.E.S. 



(Continued from voL 1, p. 53.) ( Q G' ■ 



Apanteles. Section 3. 



Apauteles fraternu^,* Reinb. ^-^^.^ 



A SMALL black species whicb expands but 3^-4 mm. Is 

 particularly interesting on account of tbe manner in wbicb 

 the cocoons are arranged in a compact alveariform mass 

 (PI. II, fig. 2). Reinbard tells us that "tbe yellow-wbite 

 cocoons to tbe number of 100 or upwards are spun together 

 in the form of a honeycomb in a very neat manner, with tbe 

 base attached to a thin t«rig or stem." In all the cases I have 

 noticed, the masses of cocoons have been in an almost semi- 

 circular form caused by the parasite larvfe filling up the space 

 between the body of the host and the twig upon which it 

 rested. In one instance I was fortunate enough to witness 

 the spinning of the cocoons, and it certainly seemed as if the 

 host, a geometrical larva, encouraged the formation of the 

 semicircular shape by accommodatingly arching its body ; 

 previous to the emergence of the parasites it had been stretched 

 almost straight along the twig. 



As mentioned above, Reinbard states that tbe broods 

 consist of 100 or more individuals, but I have never seen any 

 approaching this figure, the largest I have come across contain- 

 ing 53 and the sm.allest 29. 



In June, 1916, I found two batches of cocoons attached to 

 marram grass growing on the sand dunes near the entrance 

 to Poole Harbour; in each case the host, still alive, was brooding 

 over the " comb." Not being sure of the species of the host 

 I searched the neighbourhood thoroughly for other caterpillars 

 but discovered one only. This larva lived in confinement for 

 a fortnight or so without, so far as I could judge, attempting 

 to eat the food with which it was supplied, when it also produced 

 a brood of the parasite. The imagines emerged from these 

 three bundles of cocoons on -July 2nd, 7th, and 17th respective!}'. 



- • Berl. Ent. Zeit,.' xxv. p. 47. 

 EXTOM. SEPTEiirBER. 1917. R 



