

1909. 1 



273 



SETULIA G RISE A, Ms., and CERCERIS A REN ARIA, Linn,^ 

 IN THE NEW FOREST. 



BT A. H. HAMM. 



Reprinted from " The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine" 2nd Series, T'ol. xi. 



Oh August 7th last 1 joined my friend, Mr. G. Arnold, for a few 

 days entomologiziDg together, at Brockenhurst. I am indebted to 

 him fo)' kindly pointing out the nidificating sites of many interesting 

 species of Fossoriai Wasps, and in other ways conducing to my comfort 

 and enjoyment, both on this and previous visits to the Forest. 



Our first excursion (August 8th) was to the ground near the 

 southern end of Denny Bog. Here we were soon busily engaged in 

 watching the burrows of various species of Fossores, our object 

 being to ascertain the kind of prey that was stored for the future 

 progeny. I was thus engaged when my friend, who had been 

 prospecting a little further afield, returned and reported the dis- 

 covery of a large colony of Gerceris arenaria, a species I expressly 

 wished to find. While watching the burrows we noticed a fly, some- 

 what like a Miltogramma, persistently following a female Gerceris 

 returning to the burrows with her weevil prey. We felt sure that 

 the Fossor was aware of the pursuit, and that she endeavoured to 

 some extent to shake off her enemy, for, instead of flying direct to 

 the burrow, she often dodged or zigzagged about, or settled upon the 

 ground. These tactics were of no avail, for the fly followed all the 



