58o INSECTA ORDERS HYMENOPTERA AND LEP1DOPTERA. 



which measure upwards of three inches across the wings. Some of the 

 species of Myynimia (Smith) are conspicuous by 

 their beautiful green or purple iridescent wings. 

 The last family we can notice is the Sphegidw, 

 which are remarkable for the long petiolated 

 abdomen, and for the brilliant metallic green of 

 some of the Indian and African species of Chl&rion 

 (Latr.), etc. In these, however, the wings are 

 generally transparent, or are at most only 

 bordered with brown. Pelopceus spirifex (Linn.) 

 is a black and yellow species, common in the 

 warmer parts of the Old World. 



The Diploptera, or true wasps, may be distin- 



*<* b / . the 'ow-wing. bei"g longitadin- 



ally folded in repose, and by the prothorax 

 being arched backwards to the base of the wings. The species are soli- 

 tary or social ; and the former generally construct small 

 Wasps nests or cells, which they provision with insects. The social 



(Diploptera). wasps, belonging to the typical genus Vespa, are too well 

 known to need description ; they construct large nests in the 

 ground or in trees, but their habits are less interesting than those of the ants 

 and bees. The nest is, however, always commenced by one queen, which 



has survived the winter ; and its 

 extension is afterwards carried on 

 by her progeny. The bulk of 

 the inhabitants consist of neuters, 

 though males and females are also 

 produced ; the latter assist the 

 mother in carrying on the work 

 of the nest, for, unlike bees, more 

 than one perfect female is allowed 

 to live in a wasp's nest at the same 

 time. At the end of the season, 

 the whole community dies off, ex- 

 cept a few queens, which perpetuate 

 the brood next year ; and hence 

 every wasp destroyed in spring 

 means the destruction of a possible 

 nest. We have six species of Vespa 

 in England, all very similar, except 

 the hornet, which is twice as large as the others, but lives in smaller com- 

 munities. It is much scarcer, too, and rarely stings except under provoca- 

 tion. The largest known species of Vespa are found in India, China, and 

 Japan. 



The last family of the Hymenoptera is that of the Anthophila, or bees. 



They are generally short, hairy insects, though some genera are almost 



naked, such as the curious wasp -like parasitic bees of the 



Bees genus Nomada (Fabr.), which are mostly black and red, in 



(Anthophila). various proportions, with yellow markings. 



Many of the solitary bees of the large genus Andrena (Fabr.) 

 appear in spring, sometimes as early as January or February, and make 

 nests in the ground. Some are very peculiar in their habits, such as 



. Fig. 63. HORNET (Vespa crdbro). Nat. size. 



