CHAPTER V. 



BOMPILID^, SPHEGID^!, AND BEMBECIDJS. 



The insects which are placed under the titles which are at the 

 head of this chapter are popularly known under the general title 

 of Sand Wasps. They are so called because the females dig 

 holes in any earth, generally of a sandy nature, and place therein 

 the insects on which their future young are to be fed. We have 

 plenty of them in this country; and any observer of Nature 

 must have seen and admired their industrious energy as they 

 pursue the task which is the one object of their lives. 



The Pompilida3 are among the very fiercest of insects, and 

 have among them some of the largest of the Hymenoptera. I 

 have not the least idea why this name should be given to insects, 

 as it rightly belongs to a fish which follows ships, probably the 

 " rudder-fish" of the sailors. The word literally signifies "an es- 

 cort," whence our word "pomp," 

 on account of the number of 

 attendants required by a person 

 of high rank when on a journey 

 of state. All the Pompilidae 

 have the legs very long and the 

 abdomen oval and attached to 

 the thorax by a short footstalk. 



The fine insect which is 

 called Pompilus atrox has long 

 been known to be a native of *** 



Fig. 232. — Pompilus atrex. 

 North America, but Specimens (Black, with orange patch on abdomen.) 



have lately been discovered in 



Japan. The colour of the head, thorax, and abdomen is shining 

 black, but towards the base of the abdomen there is a bold 



g G 2 



