14 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 



ANSWER BY I'HOF. COOK. 



Mr. Editor:— You may perhaps remember tliat 1 

 received last August, through you, from Mr. J. F. 

 Montgomery, of Lincoln, Tenn., an insect which 

 much resembled a bumble bee, with the report that 

 it was waging savage warfare uponhisbees. As the 

 • peeimen was sadly mutilated, I at once wrote to 

 Mr. Montgomery, who kindly sent me four more 

 specimens, with the remark that they were very 

 quick on the wing, and when found at rest, always 

 hud a bee in their fatal grasp. 



Mr. M. killed these last insects, after strikingthem 

 down with a board, by applying coal oil. This, with 

 the wear and tear in transit, had so injured the spec- 

 imens that I can not give as full a description as 1 

 should desire. 



The insects plainly belong to the Family Asilid.v, 

 the same that includes the Miss mri Bee-Killer, Asi- 

 lus Missouriensis, the Nebraska Bee-Killer, Pro- 

 mich'is bastardi, and other predatory insects, sev- 

 eral of which, I regret to sav, have the same evil 

 habit of killing and devouring our friends of the 

 hive. 



Th Q characters of this family, as given by Loew, 

 one of the greatest authorities on Diptera, or two- 

 winged flie-, are prolonged basal cells of the wings, 

 third longitudinal vein bifurcate, third joint of an- 

 tenna simple, under lip forming a horny sheath, 

 empodium, a projection below and beneath the 

 claws (Fig. 6, c), a horny bristle. 



Th rl insect in question belongs to Loew's 3d group, 

 Asilina, as the antennae, end in a bristle (Fig. 3), 

 while the second longitudinal vein of the wing (Fig. 

 4, b) runs into the first (Fig. 4, a). 



The genus is Mallophora. The venation of the 

 wings much resembles that of the genus Promach- 

 ns, i he same that contains the Nebraska Bee- 

 Killer, though ihe form of these insects is 

 very different. The Nebraska Bee-Killer is 



A KtVf BBl-KILLBR. 



long and slim like the Asilus Missouriensis 

 (See Manual of the Apiary, Fig. 108), while the one 

 in question is much like the neuter bumble-bee in 

 form. 



In Mallophora and Promachus, the venatiou 

 is as represented in Fig. 4, where, as will 

 be seen, the second vein (Fig. 4, b) forks, while in the 

 genus Asilus (Fig. 5), the 3d vein is forked, though 

 in all three genera the third joint of the antenna? (Fig.. 

 3) ends in a prolonged bristle. 



The insect, which I am informed by Dr. H. 

 Hagen is Mallophora orcina, Weld, (Fig. IV 

 is 1 inch long, and expands 1*£ inches 

 (Fig. 2). The head (Fig. 3) is broad, the eyes- 

 black and prominent, the antennas 3 jointed, the last 

 joint terminating in a bristle, while the beak is very 

 large, strong, and like the eyes and antennas, coal 

 black. This is mostly concealed by the light yellow 

 hairs, which are crowded thick about.the mouth and 

 between the eyes. 



The thorax is prominent and thickly set with light 

 yellow hairs. The abdomen is narrow, tapering, 

 and covered with yellow hairs except the tip, which 

 is black. Beneath, the insect is clear black, though 

 there are scattering hairs of a grayish yellow color 

 on the black legs. The pulvilli, or feet pads (Fig. 

 6, b), are two in number, bright yellow in color, sur- 

 mouuted by strong black claws (Fig. 6, a), while 

 below and between is the sharp spine (Fig. 6, c), tech- 

 nically known as the empodium. 



I can not give the distinctions which mark the 

 sexes, nor can I throw any light upon the larval con- 

 dition of the insect. 



The habits of the flies are interesting, if not to 

 our liking. Their flight is like the wind, and perched 

 near the hive, they rush upon the unwary bee re- 

 turning to the hive with its full load of nectar, and 

 grasping it with their hard strong legs, they bear it 

 to some perch near by, when they pierce the crust, 

 suck out the juices, and drop the carcass, and are 

 then ready to repeat the operation. 



A hole in the bee shows the cause of its sudden 

 taking off. The eviscerated bee is not always killed 

 at once by this rude onslaught, but often can crawl 

 some distance away from where it falls, before it 

 expires. 



Another insect, Mallophora bomboides, Wied, 

 was lately received from Mr. N. J. Bayard, 

 of Maitland, Florida. Thfs fly might be called a larger 

 edition of the one just described, as in form, habits, 

 and appearance, it closely resembles the other. It 

 belongs to the same genus, possessing all the gen- 

 eric characters already pointed out. Mr. Bayard 

 has witnessed their depredations for some time, but 

 finds it difficult to capture them, as they are so quick 

 and active. 



This fly is 1 5-16ths inches long, and expands 2!4 

 inches. The head and thorax are much as in the 

 other species. The wings are very long and strong, 

 and, as in the other species, are of a smoky brown 

 color. The abdomen is short, pointed, concave from 

 side to side on the under surface, while the grayish 

 yellow hairs are abundant on the legs and whole un- 

 der portion of the body. The color is a lighter yel- 

 low than in the other species. 



These insects are powerfully built, and if they be- 

 come numerous, must prove a formidable enemy 

 to the bees. 



The insect sent by A. H. Brantly, M. D., of Deca- 

 tur, Ga., though it closely resembles the two just 

 described, is of a different genus. It is the Laphria 

 thoracica of Fabricius. In this genus the 3d vein 

 is forked, and the 3d joint of the antenna is without 

 the bristle, though it is elongated and tapering. The 

 insect is black, with yellow hair covering the upper 

 surface of the 1 horax. The abdomen is wholly black 

 both above and below, though the legs have yellow 

 hairs on the femurs and tibia. 



This insect belongs to the same family as the oth- 

 ers, and. as will be seen by Dr. Brantley's letter, has 

 the same habit s It is found North as well as South. 



1 should be very glad if the gentlemen referred to 

 above and any others would send me a number of 

 specimens of these insects, and of all others which 

 are seen preying upon our bees. Insects may be 

 killed without injury by turning a little benzine up- 

 on them, and by enclosing in a small box, packing 

 closely about them with cotton batting, they may be 

 sent safely in the mails. As they are so light the 

 postage is but very little. 



Any rubbing removes the hair, and may break off 

 the legs or antenna?, which parts are very necessary 

 in determining the species. A. J. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Lansing, Mich., Nov. 21, '78. 



