156 Harold J. Hockings' notes on two 



has a retractile ovipositor, somewhat more than one- 

 sixteenth of an inch in length. When in repose the 

 antennae lie back along the wings, which are folded in 

 the form of a half-cylinder. 



It increases very rapidly, and is very destructive to 

 bees' combs, especially those containing broods ; it 

 developes itself in the foundation, or division of the 

 cells, which it gnaws away without injury to the bees 

 further than that when they come to maturity they are 

 often unable to emerge from the cell on account of their 

 being fastened by the silk of these larvae, and, should 

 they emerge, their wings are so fastened with the silk 

 that they cannot fly, and get lost on leaving the hive. 

 The bees will destroy them, and cut the combs away to 

 do so, when their young emerge or die in the cells. 



This insect thrives on raw sugar, which is manu- 

 factured in great quantities in this colony, but I have 

 noticed that it developes itself more abundantly in im- 

 ported dried fruits (currants and raisins), which I 

 believe come from the Mediterranean, and it has 

 occurred to me that it might possibly have been im- 

 ported from thence. It cannot be Galleria ccreana, as, 

 from an illustration and description which appeared in 

 the * British Bee Journal,' I have identified that as a 

 larger moth, which differs in several points. 



The beetle* is a "flower-hunter," but sometimes 

 attacks the bee-hives here in great numbers. 



The specimens sent by Mr. Hockings and exhibited 

 at the Meeting held on August 1st, 1883, were (1) two 

 "Kootchar " queens; (2) numerous "Kootchar" workers; 

 (3) numerous "Kootchar" drones; (4) one " Karbi " 

 queen; (5) numerous "Karbi" workers; (6) "Karbi" 

 wax and propolis ; (7) " Kootchar " wax and propolis ; 

 (8) "Karbi" honey-pots; (9) "Karbi" brood; (10) 

 " Kootchar " honey-pots ; (11) " Kootchar " brood ; (12) 

 " Karbi " queen-cell ; (13) " Kootchar " queen-cell ; (14) 

 numerous wasps " from a nest containing thousands," a 

 very distinct small Oclynerus not in the National Col- 

 lection ; (15) greenish bees — two specimens of a Nomia 



'■= Protcetia vnandarinea, Weber. — E, A. F, 



