79 



Edwards and Mr. Turner recorded having found the latter 

 species at Chipstead and Wisley respectively. 



Major Ficklin and several other members recorded how 

 troublesome the mosquitoes had been this season. 



Mr. R. Adkin read a Report on the Field Meeting held 

 at Banstead on June i6th (page ii). 



JULY 12///, 1900. 



Mr. W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. R. Adkin exhibited pupa cases in situ of the four 

 follovv'ing Sesias : — S . scoliiformis, S . asiliformis {cynipiformis) , 

 S. ciiliciformis, and 5. ichneiLmoniformis, and contributed the 

 following note : 



"The cocoons and pupa-skins of Sesiidae exhibited illus- 

 trate the various methods of pupation of this interesting 

 group, I think, fairly well. S. scoliiforuiis, it will be seen, 

 forms a tough cocoon just under the bark of the birch 

 tree in which the larva has fed. 5. asiliformis appears 

 to similarly affect the oak, but is more often found in the 

 stumps of trees that have been recently felled than in the 

 stems or branches. S. cnliciforinis burrows in the solid 

 wood of the birch, forming its cocoon with the head just 

 within the bark ; it is very partial to the stumps of bushes 

 that have been cut a couple of years. S. ichneumoniformis 

 feeds in the roots of the bird's-foot trefoil, and pupates in the 

 crown of the root, as does 5". musciformis in thrift and 

 S. chrysidiformis in dock and sorrel, this latter insect some- 

 times throwing up a tower above the root in which to 

 pupate. S. sphcgifoniiis I am unfortunatel}' unable to 

 exhibit ; but this species, I believe, differs from all the others 

 of the group in having a free pupa, with the power of 

 travelling up and down the burrows in which the larva has 

 fed in the stems or branches of the alder." 



Mr. Tutt said that very little was known as to the method 

 of oviposition of most of the species in this group. Even 

 the habit of the most common S. tipuliformis was unknown, 

 and it had been suggested that the ova of this species were 

 laid on the leaves as in the case of Trochilium crabroniformis 

 {henibeciformis). 



Mr. Hall had had considerable experience of S. sphegi- 

 forinis, but had never observed the species ovipositing. In 

 fact the perfect insects were scarcely ever seen in nature, 



