Tespa germanica, 317 



Vespa germanica F. in India. 



By P. C a m e r o n. 



lu Mr. Rothnetjs collectiou of Hymenoptera from the 

 Khasia Hills, Assam, I find a single example of Vesipa ger- 

 manica F. The species is very widely distributed, being found 

 all over Europe, in North and Westeru Asia and in North 

 America; but it bas not hitherto been recorded from India, 

 although Saussure gives, inter alia, its distribution „en Syrie, 

 aux Indes Orientales" (cf. Etudes sur la Famille des Vespides, 

 11, 120 and André, Species d. Hymen. 11, 595). The Khasia 

 specimeu bas the upper spot ou the clypeus distinctly defined, 

 tlie lower two being indistinct; and the frontal spot is united 

 to the yellow ou the eye incision. The specimeu agrées very 

 closely with a Scotch one in my collection. The yellow marks 

 on the thorax are larger than usnal. 



Tlie probable „liosts" of Ammobatcs carinatus Morawitz 

 aud Filial' us nielcctoides Smith. 



The host of Ammobates carinatus Morawitz is said by 

 Friese to be uuknowu (see Apid. Europ. 1 p. 120). I fourni 

 it this year iu abuudauce at Cauet near Perpignan (South 

 France) m a stroug colony of Encera trivittata JJrulJé. I took 

 about 20 specimeus of the parasite, uuluckily ail cTcfi and 

 feel no doubt whatever that their host was the above named 

 Fucera, 



Friese says also (1. c. p. 138) of the splendid P/iiarus 

 melectoides Smith: „Wirth uubekanut." its host is, I believe, 

 McUturya caudata Ferez. 1 fouud a great many maies of the 

 latter species ou the hüls above Barcelona, hanging in the 

 air (like Syrpiddae) over holes which the less abundant fe- 

 males were provisiouing with Genista pollen. Close to thèse 

 holes ou six différent occasions I caught a specimeu of the 

 Fhiarus, three of each sex iu ail. I caunot say that 1 saw 

 a Fidarus actually enter any of the holes, but 1 did not give 

 them a chance, as I caught (or tried to catch) ail that I saw 

 directly they alighted. But I am practically certain that they 

 were hauutuig the burrcws of the Meliturga^ aud my frieud 

 Senor Autiga of Barcelona tells me that he is of the same 

 opinion, iu which I am further confirmed by the stat émeut iu 

 Friese (p. 136) that the other Phiarus — abdominalis Fversm. 

 — is parasitic on Meliturga clavicornis Ltr. 



F. D. Morice, 

 Woking. 



