418 Mr. H. St. J. Donisthorpe on the Colonisation of 



Formica rufa, and have shown that it protects itself when 

 introduced to strange rufas, or when attacked in the nest, 

 as also do the other species. 



Dinarda dentata, Gr. 



Normal host. — Formica sanguinea, Ltr. 



One specimen was taken by W. C. Jackson in a nest of 

 Formica cxsecta at Bournemouth. (" Ent. Rec," 1905, p. 

 272.) 



Wasmann found a single example in August with F. 

 rufibarhis in Dutch Limburg, and has found the species 

 running about away from ants. Douglas and Scott once 

 found at Shirley in September 1863, " a quantity of 

 Formica sanguinea running close together in one direction, 

 and side by side with them, in nearly equal number, 

 Dinarda dentata." (E. M. M., 1900, p. 11.) No doubt the 

 ants were seeking a new habitation and the beetles had 

 left the old nest with them. Father Wasmann found this 

 ant in the act of leaving its nest, carrying cocoons and 

 each other, accompanied by their slaves, F. ficsca, also 

 carrying cocoons, etc. Over 100 D. dentata were on the 

 top of the nest in a state of excitement, running in and 

 out of the entrances and following the ants. 



Professor Wheeler records that in the neighbourhood of 

 Wlirtzburg he came upon a colony of F. sanguinea in the 

 act of moving to a new nest. The ants were laden with 

 their larvae and were marching along a dusty road and in 

 their midst two Dinarda dentata were runuins^. (" Journal 

 fur Psychologic und Neurologic," Leipzig, 1908, p. 435.) 



I have bred this species in numbers in my observation 

 nest of Formica sanguinea, the larvae of the beetles being 

 very plentiful at times. 



Dinarda hagcnsi, Wasm. 



Normal host. — Formica exsecta, Nyl. 

 I have also bred this species in my observation nest of 

 its host, Formica cxsecta, from Bournemouth. 



Dinarda pygmaea, Wasm. 



Normal host. — Formica rufibarlis, F., var. fnsco-rufi- 

 harhis, For. 



I have found the larva of this beetle in company with 

 the imago in the nest of this ant at Whitsand Bay. 



