34 



HYMENOPTERA 



CHAP. 



days of August were ready to emerge as perfect Insects. Thus 

 the whole cycle of metamorphoses is passed through in about 

 eight weeks. This species, though very clever in drilling holes, 

 does not hesitate to appropriate old burrows should they be at 

 hand. Fabre observed that it was also quite willing to save 

 itself labour by forming its cells in hollow reeds of sufficient 

 calibre. We have figured the larva and pupa of this species in 

 the previous volume (p. 170). 



Xylocopa chloroptera in E. India selects a hollow bamboo for 

 its nidus ; it cements together the pieces obtained in clearing 



FIG. 17. Xylocopa, (Koptorthosoma), sp. near flavonigrescens, <J. Sarawak. 



out the bamboo, and uses them as horizontal partitions to separate 

 the tube into cells. The species is much infested with a small 

 Chalcid of the genus Encyrtus : 300 specimens of the parasite 

 have been reared from a single larva of the bee ; two-thirds of 

 the larvae of this bee that Home endeavoured to rear were 

 destroyed by the little Chalcid.- 



The most beautiful and remarkable of all the bees are 

 the species of Euglossa. This genus is peculiar to Tropical 

 America, and derives its name from the great length of the 

 proboscis, which in some species surpasses that of the body. The 

 colours in Euglossa proper are violet, purple, golden, and metallic 

 green, and two of these are frequently combined in the most har- 

 monious manner ; the hind tibia is greatly developed and forms 

 a plate, the outer surface of which is highly polished, while the 

 margins are furnished with rigid hairs. Very little is known as 

 to the habits of these bees ; they wei?e formerly supposed to be 



