133 



VI. Observations on the Ecoiiomy of Brazilian Insects, 

 chiefiy Hyiuenoptera, from the Notes of Mr. 

 Peckolt. By Frederick Smith, late Pres. Ent. 

 Soc. 



[Bead 3rd February, 1868.] 



At the September meeting of this Society in 1866, I 

 communicated some highly interesting notes by Mr. 

 Peckolt, of Cantagallo, in Brazil, on the economy of 

 various species of Aculeate Hymenoptera ; these having 

 proved of sufficient interest to furnish a short paper, sub- 

 sequently printed in our Transactions [Tr. Ent. Soc. 

 third series, vol. v. p. 323], my correspondent has for- 

 warded a second collection, accompanied by notes on the 

 economy of the various species. 



In the paper alluded to, I described, I believe for the 

 first time, a female of one of the stingless honey-bees, 

 the Trigona Mosquito; Mr. Peckolt forwarded a small 

 colony of this bee, together with the nest, and I succeeded 

 in discovering among them a single gravid female, as 

 well as five others of the same sex, which I believe to 

 have been virgin queens, their abdomens not being dis- 

 tended as that of 'the old queen was ; this circumstance 

 induced me to hazard a conjecture as to the probability 

 of these bees swarming in the same manner as Apis 

 mellifica. Mr. Peckolt now writes as follows : — " Your 

 conjecture respecting the swarming of Trigona Mosquito 

 is now confirmed ; I made inquiry of several people, who 

 told me they had observed the swarming of these bees, 

 but I had never done so myself. I have, therefore, in 

 consequence of your notice, obtained hives of three or 

 four species, which I have established in my garden. 

 I have also searched six separate hives, to see whether 

 there was more than one female in each, — that is, one 

 that was impregnated ; and from your description, I had 

 no difficulty in recognizing the queen ; but I never 

 could find more than one. I have now in my garden, 

 one hive of Trigona Mosquito, one of Trigona ruficrus, one 

 of Trigona Mandaeaia, and one of Trigona Urucu. I very 

 frequently watch them during the day, and have observed 

 Trigona ruficrus swarm, just like the European honey- 

 bees. This I have done about the end of March, when 

 the cold time begins, whilst in April, May, June and July, 

 they appear to increase very scantily, I suppose in order 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1868, — PART I. (aPRIL) . 



