262 

 A Note on an Epyris and Its Prey. 



BY J, C. liKIDWELT.. 



Plaliday in 1884 rei^oi-tcd an unknown Bethylus dragging 

 about a lepidoptorous larva -with the apparent purpose of bury- 

 ing it. This observation has been looked on with a certain 

 amount of suspicion particularly since the general parasitic 

 habit of the Bethylidae has been recognized. He considered 

 it as showing the fossorial relations of the Bethylids. I am 

 hap])y to be able to add a second -case to his and cite analogous 

 cases among the Scoliidae, the closest allies of the Bethylidae. 

 and with siniilai- ])arasitic-predaceous habits. 



In April, 1915, while collecting on the golf links of the 

 Mowbray Golf Club on the sand fhits east of Capetown, I 

 observed a small black Hymenopteron dragging along between 

 its jaws a small tenebrionid larva which was, however, several 

 times larger than its captor. After watching it for a moment 

 I captured it and its ])rey and mounted them together. U])on 

 examination the wasj) proved to be a species of Epi/rls a])])ar- 

 ently as yet undescribed. 



In most cases I think the Betliylids find their ])rey in suit- 

 able locations, sting them and ovi])osit in them; and only in ex- 

 ceptional cases attempt to place them more suitably and this 

 seems also to be the case with the Scoliidae. This would ex- 

 plain the rarity of such observations. 



In 1850 Bhili]) Henry (Josse ])uhlishcd a little book called 

 ''Letters from Alabama '(V. S. ) Cbiefly Relating to ^^atural 

 History," which contains a uundtcr of original observations on 

 our insects which have escaped the cataloguers. On pp. 120 

 and 121 will be found the following passage reproduced here 

 on account of the scarcity of the book from which it is drawn 

 and as showing such an exceptional case among the Scoliids. 



"Tliere is a liynieu(i])tcrons fly ( *SVo//c/ quadnmacuJata) 

 Avhich r liave seen here occasionally, in the paths of the forest, 

 towards evening. It is shaped like a bee, but is vastly larger, 

 dee]) black, with four large yellow spots on the abdomen, 



Proc. Haw. Ent. Soc. Ill, No. 4, May, 1917. 



