HYMENOPTERA. 



35 



activity of their movements, the members of this family are amongst the most 

 attractive of all hymenopterous insects. Some species prey upon lepidopterous 

 larvae, others on grasshoppers, while another provisions its nest with three or four 

 crickets. These latter, however, are not captured without a severe tussle. The 

 Sphex leaps upon the cricket's back, delivers a couple of stings, and all is over. 



Family CRABRONID^. 



The numerous members of this family are usually black with yellow markings. 

 Their nests are formed either in the ground or in decaying timber ; the tunnels of 

 wood-boring beetles being utilised in the latter case. While the smaller species 

 feed chiefly on aphides, the larger kinds are more partial to flies. Figures of three 

 species, viz., Crossocerus scutatus, C. elongatulus, and Crabro patellatus, are given 



13 



12 



Mellinus arvensis 1, Male ; 2, Female ; 3, M. sdbulosus ; 4, Bembex rostrata ; 5, Philanthus triangulum, Cerceris 

 arcuaria ; 6, Male ; 7, Female ; 8, Trypoxylon figulus ; 9, Crabro patellatus Female ; 10, Male ; 11, Crossocerus 

 scutatus Male ; 12, C. elongatulus ; 13, Oxybelus uniglumis. (1, 10-13 enlarged, the rest nat. size. ) 



in the annexed illustration. Another form is Mellinus arvensis, usually met with in 

 pine-woods, where it may be seen searching about on the sandy soil, and is particu- 

 larly fond of the honey-dew deposited by aphides. A smaller form (M. sabulosus) 

 is likewise shown in the illustration. The same illustration also shows Trypoxylon 

 figulus, a black insect, which may be observed throughout the summer flying 

 busily to and fro among posts and decaying trees. A variation in the mode of 

 making its cell will be noticeable. Selecting a long tunnel, the female brings in 

 aphides or small spiders, lays an egg, deposits a suitable supply of food, and fits on 

 the top a wad of mud, above this again another cell is constructed, similarly 

 capped with mud, and so on till the tunnel is full. 



