British Hymenoptera. 195 



Sphecodes, Latr. 



Latr., Hist. Nat., xiii., p. 368. For figures of generic 

 characters see F. Smith, Cat. Brit. Hym., 2nd ed., 

 pi. vi. 



Tongue acute, its sides rounded ; paraglossae small, 

 not acute ; labial palpi 4-jointed ; maxillary palpi 6- 

 jointed ; anterior wings with three submarginal cells ; 

 ? with the posterior tibiae only sparsely clothed with 

 hairs. Abdomen polished and shining in both sexes, 

 and more or less red. 



This genus is closely allied to Halictus, but the shining 

 red body will, as a rule, distinguish any of its species at 

 once. There are some red-bodied species of Halictus, 

 but they have all the abdomen more or less clothed 

 with hairs, or banded with hairs at the apex of the 

 segments. 



All the species are very closely allied, and some 

 authors have considered them all- as varieties of one 

 species ; but when the S' genitalia are examined and the 

 apical dorsal valves of the females, I think little doubt 

 can be felt as to their distinctness. 



(4) 1. Posterior wings with seven to ten hooks. Antennae 

 in (^ long ; 3rd joint not one-fourth the length 

 of the 4th. 



(3) 2. Vertex of head much narrowed behind the eyes. 

 (J ; genitalia with the squama produced into a 

 membranous wing on its inner margin, and ter- 

 minating in two unequal, densely hairy, processes, 

 of which the upper is much the longer, and is 

 produced and widened at the apex. 5 ; apical 

 dorsal valve narrow and Unear . . . . . . gihJms. 



(2) 3. Vertex in both sexes usually subquadrate, though 

 very variable in this respect. Squama of ^ geni- 

 talia not winged, and ending in two subequal pro- 

 cesses, sparingly clothed with short hairs. J ; 

 apical dorsal valve wide and flat . . . . mhqjwdmttis. 



(1) 4. Posterior wings with five to six hooks. Antenna 

 in <y short ; 3rd joint much more than one-fourth 

 the length of the 4th. 

 (10) 5. Stipites of the ^ genitalia not grooved. Antennas 

 with the joints much produced and rounded in 

 front ; J with the puncturation of the thorax 

 large and close ; 3rd segment of abdomen without 

 a lateral black spot or fovea. 



(9) 6. Surface of genitaha in g' longitudinally striate ; 

 2nd submarginal cell longer than wide in both 

 sexes, 



