530 



NATURAL HISTORY OF ARTHROPODS. 



is quicker of flight than the MelUnus, it is caught by slow approacli or by stratagem. 

 The wasp will frequently run slowly past her intended victim in an unconcerned man- 

 ner until the latter is off its guard, when it is suddenly seized from behind and carried 

 away. A number of flies are thus caught and stowed away in a single burrow. A 

 single lar\ a found feeding by Frederick Smith became full-fed in ten days, devouring 

 in that time six flies. The larva spins a tough, brown cocoon and remains within it 

 through the winter, transforming to pupa on the approach of the ensuing summer. 



The BembeciniB is another small sub-family, represented in Europe by Bembex, 

 and in this country by this genus and Monedula. The body is large and rather elon- 

 gate ; the head is large, and the legs are rather short ; the labrum is long, triangular, 

 and exserted. The habits are similar to those of Mellinus. Tlie female of Uembex 

 rostrata burrows hi the sand, excavating with great rajjidity and throwing the sand 



Fig. G5f!. — Kuropean w.Tsps. a, h, Melthuis nryn^iy: r, r. Cythn pafflhifi : il, rr}i}inriilon Jifinliift ; J\ /j, Ctrcerls 

 arininrki: //, (.'rosi'Ocerii^ ^rirfrfht^: i, C. elonrtalidu^ ; L; Bembex roaimta; /, Oii/belus uitif/lumib ; m, Philan- 

 tlnl^ triint'julum ; n, Mellinus sabulos7{s. 



out with its fore le^s. Its stores consist ordinarily of dijitcrous insects, «hich it 

 captures, unlike 3Ie/liint.i, on the wing. Tliis species is subject to ]>arasitic attack 

 from two dipterous insects, Panopea carnca and Toxophoru fagciuta . The American 

 species, JBembex fusclata, is common on the sea beaches at tlie north. j^Ionednla is 

 slenderer and more highlv colored than Uembex. M. Carolina is common in the cot- 

 ton fielils of Alabama and Georgia. 



With the sub-famil)' Nyssonina^, the mouth ]iarts resume a more normal form, the 

 head is long, tlie antennas somewliat clubbeil, the jaws are not cmarginate Ijeneath, 

 and tlie legs are rather spiny. The alidonien is either sessile or pctiohUed. This is a 

 larger Rub-family than the preceding, and does not differ markedly in habits. The 

 large s|K'ci<'S of the genus iSji/ieri/is, iS. r/rcrndh or S. Sjiecio.tii.'t, is "\-ery noticealile, 

 not only from its size, but also from the fact that it almost invariably ju-o-^-isions 

 its nests with the large hai-vest fly, Cicada mar<iiiiata. The hiibits of Sphecius 

 speciosus have been carefully observed by Mr. A. S. Fuller, who states that he has 



