Enemies of Bees — Stinging Bug. 321 



they bear it to some perch nearby, -when they pierce the crust, 

 suck out the juices, and drop the carcass, and are then ready 

 to repeat the operation. A hole in the bee shows the cause 

 of its sudden taking off. The eviscerated bee is not always 

 killed at once by this rude onslaught, but often can crawl 

 some distance away from where it falls, before it expires. 



Another insect nearly as common is the Mallophora bombmd- 

 es, Weid. This fly might be called a larger edition of the one 

 just described, as in form, habits, and appearance, it closely 

 resembles the other. It belongs to the same genus, possessing 

 all the generic characters already pointed out. It is very dif- 

 ficult to capture them, as they are so quick and active. 



This fly is one and five-sixteenths inches long, and expands 

 two and a half inches. The head and thorax are much as in 

 the other species. The wings are very long and strong, and, 

 as in the other species, are of a smoky brown color. The 

 abdomen is short, pointed, concave from side to side on the 

 under surface, while the grayish yellow hairs are abundant on 

 the legs and whole under portion of the body. The color is a 

 lighter yellow than in the other species. These insects are 

 powerfully built, and if they become numerous must prove a 

 formidable enemy to the bees. 



Another insect very common and destructive in Georgia, 

 though it closely resembles the two just described, is of a dif- 

 ferent genus. It is the Laphria thoracica of Fabricius. In 

 this genus the third vein is forked, and the third joint of the 

 antenna is without the bristle, though it is elongated and taper- 

 ing. The insect is black, with yellow hair covering the upper 

 surface of the thorax. The abdomen is wholly black both 

 above and below, though the legs have yellow hairs on the fe- 

 murs and tibiae. This insect belongs to the same family as the 

 others, and has the same habits. It is found North as well as 

 South. 



THE STINGING-BUG. — Phymata Erosa, Fabr. 



This insect is very widely distributed throughout the United 

 States. I have received it from Maryland to Missouri on the 

 South, and from Michigan to Minnesota on the North. The 

 insect will lie concealed among the flowers, and upon occasion 

 will grasp a bee, hold it ofl" at arm's length, and suck out its 

 blood and life. 



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