188 apid^:. 



Monodontomerus and Melittobia, ample means of observation were 

 afforded, the result of which appeared to show that Monodontomerus 

 is the true parasite of Anthopliora, and Melittobia a parasite of Mono- 

 dontomerus. Melittobia attacks indiscriminately the larvae of both 

 insects ; but in their natural situation I only found them feeding on 

 Monodontomerus. Several cells were obtained containing larvae of 

 Melittobia ; but their victim was consumed ; therefore it was not 

 possible to determine satisfactorily whether they had fed upon the 

 Chalcididous insect or the bee. M. Audouin discovered Melittobia 

 acasta in the nests of Osmia, Anthophora, and Odynerus : probably 

 there are several species closely allied ; for with insects so minute 

 and belonging to a family in which a very general resemblance 

 obtains, it requires a practised eye as well as a careful microscopic 

 investigation before the specific differences can be detected. The 

 mode of attack which these parasites practise appears to be made 

 by several females obtaining entrance to the cell of the bee and 

 attacking its larvae, upon which they deposit their eggs, to the 

 number of one hundred at least, which soon hatch. The young- 

 larvae attach themselves to their victim, continuing to feed until full- 

 grown, when they fall off and lie inactive at the bottom of the cell. 

 By the time the whole brood is full-fed the larva of the bee is 

 entirely consumed. The bees and the parasites appear in their 

 perfect condition about the same time in the season, some having 

 passed the winter months in the larva state, others in their perfect 

 condition. 



The genus AntJiophora has a world-wide distribution ; the number 

 of species at present known is about one hundred and thirty, four 

 only being found in this country. Dr. Dours, in his monograph of 

 the genus published in 1869, enumerates one hundred and fifteen 

 species, several from the islands of the Eastern archipelago and 

 South America being unknown to him. The economy of the species 

 varies considerably, some being true carpenter bees, others burrow- 

 ers in the ground, in the mortar of walls or buildings, or in cliffs at 

 the seaside. They are subject to the attacks of numerous parasites, 

 some belonging to their own order, others being coleopterous ; their 

 nests are also frequently attacked by the general devastator, Forfi- 

 cula. This predaceous and, indeed, omnivorous insect devours alike 

 the store laid up by the bee for the sustenance of its brood, the 

 larva, pupa, and also the perfect insect itself. 



Two bees are parasites upon the genus AniJiopJiora — Melecta 

 luctuosa and M. armata — the former upon A. retusa, and the latter 

 upon A. acervorum : the latter makes its appearance very early in 

 the spring, as soon, in fact, as the first wild flowers bloom ; it may 

 be sometimes observed early in March, attracted by the garden- 

 crocus ; it continues to be found as late as July, and was captured 

 in the Isle of Wight on the 15th of that month. The latter 

 circumstance is explained by an investigation of a colony in the 

 month of November, when a large portion of the brood will be found 

 to have arrived at its perfect condition, the rest being still in the 

 larva or the pupa state, the latter fast advancing to maturity : the 



