THE ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA OF MID-SOLWAY. XVU. 



in single specimens as yet. C. cribrarius is a most handsome species ; it 

 is very common on composite and umbelliferous flowers. A few indi- 

 viduals of C. peltarius have been got in the Mabie plantations some 

 years ago, and the same may be said of C. vagus, although it is perhaps 

 rather oftener met with. C. chrysostoma, a species with a splendidly 

 golden coloured fringe of hairs on the upper lip, is frequent, and seems to 

 be attached to rotten willow trunks. Oxybelus uniglumis used to be 

 taken near Moffat by the late Rev. W. Little. 



Next in order are the Wasps, Social and Solitary. The Social Wasps 

 are very fully represented indeed. Vespa vulgaris, V. rufa, V. germanica 

 are all equally common, and of general distribution, appearing in some 

 seasons in enormous swarms, and at such periods doing considerable 

 damage to ripe fruit. The good they always do in destroying vast 

 quantities of noxious flies and larvse, as well as in acting as general 

 scavengers, is apt to be over-looked. There can be no question that the 

 good qualities of Wasps far out-balance any evil they do, but this is 

 very often lost sight of. V. norvegica is also an abundant species. 

 Its small hanging nests are often hung on low bushes and similar situ- 

 ations, and are a subject of dread to those ignorant of wasp habits. 

 V. sylvestris is rather a rare species, while V. arborea does not seem to 

 be found here at all. It might be as well to correct the rather common 

 error that V. crabro, the Hornet, is found in this region. It has never 

 been seen here, nor is it ever likely to be, as it is strictly a southern 

 species. 



Of the solitary species we have Odynerus spinipes, O. parietum, O. 

 trimarginatus, O. parietinus, and O. gracilis. The last named seems to 

 be plentiful near Rockcliffe in Colvend, but none of the others are really 

 common except O. parietinus. This species concludes our meagre list of 

 Solitary Wasps. 



The Bees proper come next in order for consideration, and although 

 neither in species nor in the number of individuals with which they are 

 represented are these at all abundant, still they yield to no other division 

 of the insecta in the interest attached to their varied and sometimes 

 very curious life histories. Of the genus Colletes, we have C. fodiens and 

 C. succincta. The former is usually taken on ragwort bloom, and the 

 latter has been caught in Lochar Moss on the flowers of the heather. 

 Of Prosopis, which comprises no less than nine British species, I have 

 never taken or seen a single individual ; but Mr Scott-Elliot has had 

 the good fortune to capture a male and female of Prosopis hyalinata on 

 flowers. Sphecodes is a very pretty genus of small red and black bees 

 found burrowing in garden walks. S. gibbus is fairly common ; a few 

 specimens of S. pilifrons have been taken at intervals; while S.ephippium 

 and S. subquadratus are seldom met with. 



The great genus Halictus is very well represented throughout this 

 district, and the active little bees that belong to it are very numerous 

 and conspicuous on many kinds of flowers. On the flowers of the 



