vii DEFENCES OF INSECTS 267 



is common round the shores of the Mediterranean, 

 and extends through Upper Egypt, Syria, Arabia, and 

 eastwards into Hindoostan. In colour, size, shape, 

 attitude, and mode of flight, it is accurately copied by 

 its imitator. At home the Drone Fly (Eristalis\ a 

 very common insect belonging to the Diptera, is mar- 

 vellously like the male of the ordinary honey-bee as 

 regards form and habits, and is often erroneously 

 called a drone from this circumstance. 



Many of the Coleoptera also resemble Hymenop- 

 tera. Charts melipona, a South American beetle, is so 

 named from its resemblance to a small Melipona bee. 

 It has acquired a hairy covering on the thorax and 

 body like the bee, and its legs are tufted in a fashion 

 distinctly opposed to that usual on beetles. Another 

 Longicorn Mr. Bates was afraid to touch lest it should 

 sting, it being exactly like a small common wasp of 

 the genus Odynerus. Some Eastern species of the 

 Longicornes adopt the garb of sawflies (Tenthredin- 

 idce}, and there are many instances of beetles closely 

 imitating the appearance of ants. The latter are 

 excessively abundant in warm climates, and apparently 

 privileged in enjoying general freedom from attack. 

 Turning to England, a common beetle (Clytus arietis] 

 resembles a wasp in a striking manner. The waisted 

 body, the characteristic black and yellow bands, and 

 verily the mode of walking of the wasp have been 

 all assumed by its mimic. 



Bates mentions several species of crickets (Or- 

 thoptera*} of South America which resemble different 

 sand-wasps of large size. The wasps are constantly 

 on the out-look for crickets with which to provision 



