HYMENOPTERA. 237 



Cuckoo-bees or Apathites. Larva hatched from an egg, 

 deposited by its parent in the nests of all the preceding 

 bees at the time when their own eggs are laid ; when it 

 hatches, being stronger and larger than the rightful pos- 

 sessor of the cell, it consumes the food provided for its 

 companion, and starves it to death ; and in those instances 

 in which fresh supplies of food are daily provided, it con- 

 tinues to receive and appropriate them as its own. Pupa 

 changes in the same situation, in a silken cocoon, spun by 

 the larva. Imago has no apparatus, either on the body or 

 legs, for collecting honey ; in other respects it resembles 

 in structure each of the orders of bees before described ; it 

 enters their nest with perfect familiarity, and seems to be 

 quite unsuspected of intrusion ; it collects no pollen or 

 honey, never builds a nest of any kind, nor takes any care 

 of its young, but spends its time among flowers, or hovering 

 about sandbanks in which other bees have fixed their habi- 

 tations. Apathus, Ccelioxys, Melecta, Stelis, Epeolus, 

 Nomada. 



Golden- wasps or Chrysidites. Larva and pupa as in the 

 Apathites, the former preying on the food destined for 

 other insects, particularly Hymenoptera. Imago with the 

 antenna thirteen-jointed in both sexes, the second joint 

 elongated, and forming a slight elbow; maxilla obtuse, 

 dilated, their palpi five-jointed ; labium with the ligula 

 obtuse, entire; labial palpi three-jointed; ocelli three; 

 body convex above, flattened or sometimes concave beneath, 

 furnished in the females with a tubular retractile oviduct, 

 but without a sting ; colours excessively brilliant, red, 

 green and blue, with a metallic gloss ; abundant in fine 

 sunshiny weather, settling on walls, sandbanks, posts, rail- 

 ings, &c., running with activity, and a vibrating motion of 

 the antenna. Hedychnim, Elampus, Chrysis, Cleptes. 



Proctotrupites. Larva inhabits and feeds on the larvtc 



