201 



DIPTERA AND HYMENOPTERA IN NORFOLK. 

 By Colbran J. Wainwright, F.E.S. 



I SPENT three weeks last summer at West Runton, Norfolk, 

 collecting insects, and some accomit of the species obtained there 

 may be of interest. The village lies between Cromer and Sher- 

 ingham, on the north coast, and is at the foot of a range of hills 

 running parallel with the seashore, and about a mile or more 

 away from it. These hills are richly clothed with woods, with 

 pleasant open spaces, and everywhere while we were there was a 

 great wealth of flowers of all kinds, so that the many flower- 

 loving species of Diptera and Hymenoptera might be expected in 

 numbers. The soil was dry and sandy, and very suited to the 

 burrowing Aculeates, and, generally speaking, I should think it 

 a favourable spot for the entomologist. I had a great deal of my 

 three weeks spoilt by rain and wind, but succeeded in obtaining 

 a very fair lot of insects. Mr. E. C. Bradley joined me for a few 

 days in the middle, but was unfortunate in the weather, and 

 obtained little that I had not already taken. He has already 

 referred to a few of the Diptera we obtained in the E, M. M. for 

 January. 



Among the Hymenoptera, several species of Andrena were 

 conspicuous : tridentata, Kirb., nigric&ps, Kirb., and coitana, 

 Kirb., were all very abundant on ragwort bloom ; on the same 

 flowers also occurred, in similar abundance, Nomada solidaginis, 

 Panz., and Colletes fodiens, Kirb. So numerous were these 

 species of bees that it was only necessary to sweep a bed of the 

 flowers to get a net full of the insects, from which one could 

 choose at will the specimens preferred. Amongst the nigriceps, 

 one specimen of simillima, Sm., occurred. The other species of 

 Andrena I took were himacidata, Kirb., of which I obtained three 

 specimens on bramble blossom ; cetii, Schr., eight specimens on 

 a few odd flowers of scabious, which was not a common flower 

 there ; and givynana, Kirb., second brood {=bicolor, Fab.). Other 

 bees which occurred were Colletes siiccincta, L., Halictus ruhi- 

 cundus, Chr., cylindricus, Fab., albipes, Kirb., zonulus, Sm., 

 Cilissa hcemor'rhoidalis, Fab., C. leporina, Panz., Nomada obtusi- 

 frons, Nyl., Epeolus inoductus, Thorns., common, burrowing in the 

 sandy bank of a lane, where I found many of the Aculeates, also 

 on ragwort, Coelioxys elongata, Lep., and (J. acuminata, Nyl., both 

 occurring on bramble blossom, the latter rather commonly, 

 Megachile maritima, Kirb., three specimens only, M. centiincularis, 

 L., Anthidiiim manicatum, L., and Stelis aterrima, Panz., the 

 latter not uncommon on bramble blooms. A lane ran up the 

 hill from the village into the woods, and, piercing the hill some- 

 what, left most attractive sandy banks, where many Aculeates 

 were nesting. Many of the bees above mentioned occurred there, 



