HYMENOPTERA 273 



Calliephaltes messer, Gravenhorst 

 This insect had been introduced into California from Spain as 

 a natural enemy of the codlin moth. In 1906 Mr Boucher was sent 

 to California, where he obtained a supply of these parasites. These, 

 and other parasites, were reared in an insectary specially built at 

 Auckland, and were spread far and wide to over 50 localities where 

 the moth was prevalent. In the Journal of Agriculture for 191 1 it 

 is stated that the codlin moth parasitical flies which were liberated 

 in Whangarei five years previous "are increasing in appreciable 

 numbers in the orchards. One firm of orchardists state they have 

 this season found the larvas of the parasites in three out of five moth- 

 cocoons examined." 



Platygaster minutus, Lindemann 

 This small hymenopterous insect, parasitic on the Hessian fly, 

 was introduced from Britain by the Agricultural Department in 1893. 



(Family Chalcidid^, see Appendix B, p. 558.) 

 Family Apidje 

 Bombus terrestris, Linn. 

 Bombus lucorum, Linn. 

 Bombus ruderatus, Fab. 

 Bombus hortorum, Linn. 

 Bombus lupidarius, Linn. 

 The naturalisation of humble-bees in New Zealand is due to the 

 action of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, the object of intro- 

 ducing them being to bring about the fertilisation of the red clover 

 {Trifolium pratense), which is very extensively cultivated, but which 

 previous to the advent of these insects did not produce seed, except 

 to a very limited extent. 



In a notice of the humble-bee in New Zealand in the N.Z. Journal 

 of Science (January, 1891), I stated in regard to the fertilisation of 

 red clover that 



the pollen and stigma of this flower are accessible to all insects which are 

 heavy enough to press down the keel, and if bees visit the flowers for pollen 

 only they will no doubt bring about cross-fertilisation. This may account 

 for an interesting example given me by Mr Wm. Martin, of Fairfield, 

 near Dunedin, who informs me that as far back as 1858 he obtained a 

 large quantity of very fine seed off a small patch of red clover which he 

 had under cultivation. 



The first attempt to introduce these insects was made by Dr Frank 

 Buckland in 1873, but he failed to get the bees in time. In January, 

 1876, a consignment from Dr Buckland was brought out in the 

 * Otari,' by the Hon. John Hall, but all were found to be dead. 



T. N. Z. 18 



Humble-bees 

 (Europe) 



