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BEES OF GREAT BRITAIN. ' 151 



Genns 5. STELIS. 



Apis, pt., Kirby, Mon. Ap. Angl i. 154 (1802). 

 Megilla, pt., Fabr. Syst, Piez, p. 328 (1804). 

 Stefis, Panz. Krit. Revis, ii. (1806). 

 Megachile, pt., Latr. Hist. Nat. xiv. 51 (1805). 

 Gyrodroma, Kluy, Illig. Mag. vi. (1807). 



Head transverse, the stemmata placed in a triangle on the 

 vertex; antennae filiform in both sexes. The labial palpi four- 

 jointed, the two basal joints elongate, the basal joint about two- 

 •k thirds of the length of the second joint, the two apical joints 



minute. The maxillary palpi two-jointed, the joints minute. The 



^\ superior wangs with one marginal and two submarginal cells, 



the marginal cell as long as the two submarginals, its apex 

 rounded ; the submarginal cells of about equal length, the se- 

 cond receiving the first recurrent nervure a little within ; the 

 second recurrent nervure passes a little beyond the apex of the 

 second submarginal cell, and unites with the abbreviated cubi- 



^ tal nervure ; the legs having the calcaria simple and the claws 



I bifid. 



This genus of parasitic bees consists of a small number of 

 species ; about eight are at present known, three of which are 

 found in Britain. One species has been observed entering the 

 burrows of Osmia fulviventris, and Stelis minuta is parasitic on 

 O. leucomelana ; a specimen was obtained from a bramble-stick 

 containing the nest of Osmia. Leon Dufour has also obtained 

 S. minuta from bramble-sticks. 



1. Stelis aterrima. 



S. nigra, punctulatissima ; scutello bidentato ; abdominis seg- 

 mentis marginibus decoloratis. 



Apis aterrima, Panz, Faun. Germ, 56. 15. 



Apis punctulatissima, Kirby^ Mon, Ap. Angl. ii. 231. 39. t. 16. f. 9. 



MegUla aterrima, Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 331. 15. 



Megachile punctatissima, Latr. Hist. Nat. xiv. 54. 



Spin. Ins. Lig. fasc. 1. p. 135. 3. ^ 



Stelis aterrima, St. Farg. Hym. ii. 527. 1. 



Smith, ZooL iii. 1154. 1 c? ? . 



Nyland. Ap. Boreal, p. 275. 2. 



