XVI. THE ACULEATE HYMENOPTERA OF MID-SOLWAY. 



at home in a house which it had over-run from cellar to attic. Its 

 myriads were past comprehension, and in some places it distinctly 

 coloured the white wall with its hosts. 



The Fossorial portion of the Aculeates next claims our attention. 

 Tiphia minuta, a very small dark species, has been taken several times 

 on the flowers of goutweed (^Egopodium podagraria). Tiphia femorata, 

 the other member of the genus, has been taken near Moffat frequenting 

 the flowers of various Umbellifers. Amongst the Pompilidae we have a 

 few local species, these being Pompilus plumbeus, of which an occasional 

 specimen is to be seen on Umbelliferous flowers ; P. viaticus, a few in 

 August near Mabie, and P. fuscus, also captured at Mabie. Two other 

 species of Pompilidae were originally described by the late Frederick 

 Smith from specimens captured here. One of these is P. acuminatus, 

 found in Kirkpatrick-Juxta many years ago by the late Rev. W. Little ; 

 the other is P. approximatus, and was found at Eccles by Dr Sharp 

 during his residence there. Neither species has been met with since 

 by any other collector. Passing over a large number of Aculeates that 

 are not found in these counties, we next come to the genus Pemphredon. 

 All of the three British species, viz., lugubris, unicolor, and lethifer are 

 found, the last named being quite common. It can be most easily 

 collected by looking for broken bramble stems, in which the exposed 

 end has been burrowed in, or perforated. These are almost certain to 

 contain larvae of this species, and if the bramble stems are cut off and 

 kept, the perfect insects will duly make their appearance at the end of 

 June or early in July. Mimesa bicolor is found not infrequently. 

 Mimesa Dahlbomi was taken by Mr Scott-Elliot at the Mill Loch, 

 Lochmaben, in June on flowers of Cicuta virosa. One or two specimens 

 only of Harpactus tumidus have been taken. Nysson dimidiatus, 

 though the rarest of the genus, is the only one I have taken. I found 

 a solitary individual on Ragwort. The others ought to be found here, 

 but so far have not been recorded. 



A very pretty species is Gorytes mystaceus, and it is common in 

 most seasons. It provisions its nest with the green larvae of the Cuc- 

 koo spit, or " Gowkspittle " (Anthrophora spumaria), so abundant on 

 herbage throughout the summer months. Mellinus arvensis is another 

 very common insect. It burrows regularly in the sides of potato furrows 

 in dry sandy districts, and is, like the previous species, a carnivorous in- 

 sect. M. sabulosus has only been taken on one occasion. Only a few re- 

 presentatives of the great genus Crabro are to be met with, but where they 

 do occur they are tolerably plentiful. C. palmipes is a minute species that 

 may be collected in quantity, skipping about on the leaves of brambles, 

 or on similar surfaces in the tangled growths about sunny lanes and 

 hedgerows. They may often be seen preying upon the tiniest Diptera. 

 C. varius has been taken, but is scarce. It occurs about flowers on rail- 

 way banks. A few specimens of C. elongatulus were found on one 

 occasion on the moss road near Mabie. C. dimidiatus has only occurred 



