98 Yorkshire Entomology in 1917. 



Megachile centuncularis, Odynerus pictus and Crabro leucostoma 

 and some widely distributed Andrenidi and Halictix. With 

 regard to the four first mentioned species, which were apparently 

 common in Mr. Musham's garden, he mentioned that among 

 the Yorkshire hills to the West and North West these are 

 very rare or not recorded. 



Mr. Butterfield also exhibited all the British species of 

 social wasps, and remarked that all occur in Yorkshire with 

 the exception of the hornet. The parasite or inquiline, Vespa 

 atistriaca Panz., was apparently rare, but its distribution was 

 not fully known. 



The following noteworthy additions were made to the report 

 on lepidoptera : — Sphinx convolvuli (^ Malton, September 23rd, 

 1917 ; another from Todmorden in the same month. One 

 specimen at Dunnington, near York ; four obtained at York 

 and one at Middleton, near Pickering ; several at Doncaster. 

 Also in September Vanessa antiopa seen near Pickering on 

 August 7th by Mr. J. W. StancUffe. 



Vanessa io, which of late years had become very scarce, 

 has occurred practically all over the country. Pliisia moneta, 

 a specimen captured in July by Mr. Willoughby Fabian in his 

 garden at York. Mr. Arthur Smith, of York, reports Collix 

 sparsata very common at Askham Bog and a specimen of 

 Sesia culiciformis at Warthill, near York, July 27th, 1917. 



Mr. J. Hooper reported the great destruction of acres of 

 white turnips by the larvae of A gratis segetum at Middlestown, 

 near Wakefield. The dead roots were generally attacked by 

 four or five caterpillars, upon which large flocks of starlings 

 fed daily during September and October. 



In 1916, Mr. Ashton Lofthouse reported Mixodia ratze- 

 burghiana from Middlesbrough, and Argyresthia dilectella 

 occurred freely about juniper at Linthorpe at the end of July. 

 These species have only one previous Yorkshire record. 



Mr. B. Morley read a lengthy report on the exceptional 

 abundance of many species occuriing in the south-western area 

 of the county. 



At the evening meeting, Mr. Winter gave an interesting 

 address on the silk-spinning habits of spiders. Many forms 

 of webs were described, the configuration of characteristic 

 forms were shown by lantern slides ; various peculiarities 

 were explained by means of experiments. 



A discussion followed the conclusion of Mr. Winter's 

 address. 



The work done in the county during the past season is 

 distinctly encouraging, and the unanimous opinion of all the 

 committees of the section is that entomological science has 

 advanced appreciably in spite of restrictions and other de- 

 pressing circumstances. 



Naturalist, 



