47 



Order Htme^optera. 



Of Hymenoptera, or yoke-winged insects, the province of 

 South Australia possesses a fair share (and, indeed, of at least 

 one family — i.e., ants — rather more than fair), as far as numbers 

 are concerned. According to Dr. Leunis 15,000 species were 

 known in 1868, being at the ratio of three Hymenopters to four 

 Lepidopters, compared with the foregoing order ; but as the 

 collection only contains 240 species, giving a ratio of three 

 Hymenopters to five Lepidopters, it proves that this order had 

 not had the same attention paid as the preceding. This is 

 indeed the case, the fact having to be admitted that the ants, 

 Cynipsida?, and indeed all the small wasps, were greatly but 

 unavoidably neglected for want of leisure and facilities. The 

 remarks made when treating of the Coleopters, in respect of 

 the names mentioned apply to this order likewise. 



Of the Tenthridid^;, or saw wasps, the genera Giiiibex and 

 another are represented by eleven species, the largest of which, 

 golden green with yellow markings, is about an inch in length, 

 the smallest about a quarter of an inch. They chiefly infect 

 eucalypti. The CnapsiDiE, or gall wasps, are very numerous, 

 to judge by the number and variety of galls met with upon 

 many plants, sometimes of exceedingly fantastic shapes ; only 

 four species, the largest seen, were collected. Of the Ichnetj- 

 moetd-j:, some seasons exhibit quite a crowd ; they deposit their 

 eggs in other living insects while in the larval state, and offer 

 one of the most effectual checks to undue increase of any one 



Table Showing Families and Number of Geneka and Species of 

 Hymenoptera. 



No. of 



No. of 



Families. 



Genera. 



Species. 



1. TenthrididEe 



1—2 



11 



2. Cynipsida? 







1 



4 



3. Ichneumonidffi . 







3 



24 



4. Ophiomda? 







1—2 



21 



5. Pteromalidffi 







1—2 



4 



6. Chrysidje . . 







1—2 



9 



7. Forinicidffi 







2 



29 



8. Mutillidas 







2 



44 



9. Myrmiloidas 







1 



11 



10. Sphegida? . . 







4—5 



28 



11. Crabionidas 







6 



31 



12. Vespidae . . 







1—2 



8 



13. Polistida?.. 







1 



1 



14. Apidffi 







3 



15 



Total 







28—34 



240 



