46 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '05 



cell of the nest, less frequently in the next lowest, but occa- 

 sionally also higher up. In the majority of the nests one cell 

 only contains a parasitic egg, although in 4 out of the 16 nests 

 2 cells were infested. One nest, collected July 27th, 1903, was 

 kept under observation with especial interest, as it contained 2 

 parasitic eggs on the egg of the bee in the lowest cell, and in 

 addition to this a parasitic egg on the bee's egg in the adjoin- 

 ing cell. One of the parasitic larvae in the lowest cell killed 

 the other one, it then pursued the usual course of eating up 

 the bee's egg and feeding on bee-bread, and then entered the 

 next cell and there destroyed the somewhat smaller parasitic 

 larva. This occurrence shows that the larva of this parasite 

 instinctively attacks any other larva it may come in contact 

 with inside of the nest. 



The normal position of the egg of the parasite is on top of 

 the bee's egg, but in two instances it was placed some distance 

 from the latter on the bee-bread. This, however, did not 

 interfere with the development of the parasite in either case, 

 as the young larva crawled around until it reached the egg of 

 the bee. 



Habrocryptas graenicheri Vier. 



On June 23, 1904, a Ceratina nest was found with a cell 

 containing the small eggs of a parasite on the top of the bee's 

 egg. This egg resembled rather closely that of Grotea angjima, 

 and it was thought to belong to that species until the larva 

 made its appearance. The form of the latter, as also its habits 

 made it clear that we were dealing with some other parasite. 

 Later on 5 additional nests with the eggs of this parasite, 

 Habrocryptus gne7iicheri, were obtained, the last one on July 4th, 



In size and form the egg of this species agrees with that of 

 Grotea anguina, although it is a trifle smaller and somewhat 

 more pointed behind. It produces a cylindrical larva with a 

 large head and distinctly constricted segments, quite different 

 from the more elliptical larva of Grotea anguina with a small 

 head and without constricted segments. The feeding habits of 

 the larva of this Habrocryptus are peculiar. It moves around 

 on the egg and later on the young larva of the bee, now and 

 then sucking superficially, but without inflicting any damage 



