A HISTORY OF DEVONSHIRE 



ANTHOPHILA («»/.) 



Subdivision II—JCUTILINGUES 

 (cont.) 



ApiDAE (cont.) 



^Anthidium manicatum, Linn. 

 §Eucera longicornis, Linn. 

 §Melecta luctuosa, Scop. 

 * — armata, Panz. 

 •Anthophora pilipes, Fab. 

 • — furcata, Panz. 

 § — quadrimaculata, Panz. 

 *Saropoda bimaculata, Panz. 

 •Psithyrus rupestris, Fab. 

 § — vestalis, Fourc. 



ANTHOPHILA (cotit.) 



Subdivision II—ACUTILINGUES 

 (cont.) 



Apidae {cont.) 



'Psithyrus Barbutellus, Kirb. 

 * — campestris, Panz. 

 *Bombus venustus, Sm. 

 * — agrorum, Fab. 

 * — Latreillellus, Kirb. 

 • — hortorum, Linn. 

 § — Jonellus, Kirb. 

 * — pratorum, Linn. 



— lapponicus, Fab. Not rare 

 • — sylvarum, Linn. 



ANTHOPHILA {cont.) 



Subdivision II—ACUTILINGUES 

 (cont.) 



Apidae {cont.) 



*Bombus Derhamellus, Kirb. 

 t — soroensis, Fab. 

 * — lapidarius, Linn. 

 * — terrestris, Linn. 

 Apis mellifica,Linn. Honey-bee' 



* On very rare occasions they have been 

 known to suspend their comb from a 

 branch of a shrub growing in the open 

 garden ; such did occur at Tavistock in 

 1901 ; the deserted comb was about 

 three inches in length. G. C. B, 



CHRYSIDIDAE 

 Hymenoptera Tubulifera 



There are only about twenty-five species in England, and only six are recorded for the county ; 

 two others, however, occur just within the Cornish boundary in the north. These beautiful flies 

 with their brilliant metallic colours do not appear to have been collected — or are these parasitic flies 

 comparatively scarce or rare in the districts visited by collectors ? The bees are well represented ; 

 consequently it is surprising to find so few in the collections of the entomologists that have travelled 

 over the country. 



Specimens of Hedychridium minutum are to be obtained in July by visiting the clifis near 

 Bovisand ; roseum was observed at Rickham, near Portlemouth, 1 1 July ; Chrysis neglecta and 

 viridula were bred from the nests of Odynerus spinipes; Chrysis cyanea have been obtained at Exminster 

 and Loddiswell ; Ruddii and pustulosa were obtained at Millhook in North Cornwall, a short distance 

 out of the county ; while ignita is generally distributed, infesting several species of bees and wasps. 

 These beautiful coloured flies are parasites, the parent depositing her egg on the food of the bee or 

 wasp. The eggs of the latter hatch ; the larvae consume the food stored by the parent, and when full 

 fed the egg of the parasitic fly is developed ; it then attacks the aculeate larva, and very soon sucks 

 its victim dry ; consequently the cell is then tenanted by the parasitic larva ; it changes to pupa in 

 the following spring, and ultimately emerges a perfect fly from the cell that should have produced a 

 wasp or bee. These changes can be observed by placing the aculeate larva, with parasitic egg, 

 in a small glass cylinder of the same size as the bee or wasp cell (should be kept cool and from 

 the light). 



COLEOPTERA 



Beetles 



The county of Devon is decidedly rich in Coleoptera, and as large tracts of country have not 

 yet been worked, a considerable number of species will certainly in time be added to the list. The 

 high ground of Dartmoor, the rich park-land and woods of the interior, and the double stretch of 

 coast-line north and south, including the so called ' Burrows,' especially Northam Burrows (now 

 best known as Westward Ho ! ) and Braunton Burrows, are all very productive, and the lake 

 and marshy ground at Slapton Ley are well known as the habitat of several scarce species. 

 Bidessus minutissimus and Scopaeus rubidus have only occurred in Britain in this locality, and 

 Philonthus punctus has only been taken in two or three other places. The chief Devon species 

 is perhaps Carabus intricatus, which may still be found in its old locality, as is proved by the 

 capture of two specimens in 1898 by Mr. J. H. Keys. Mr. Keys has added a large number 

 of good species to the Devon list, and I am much indebted to him for a list of his captures 

 and for other information. I have made considerable use of Mr. Parfitt's catalogue of the 

 Coleoptera of Devon, which, I think, is fairly accurate, as so many of his species have since 

 been confirmed, and my thanks are also due to the Rev. A. Thornley and Mr. Thouless. 

 Dr. Power's captures at Seaton and in the Lee valley are of great interest, and the late Mr. Vernon 

 Wollaston and Mr. F. Smith did much good work at Slapton Ley and in other localities. It is of 

 course well known that Dr. Leach resided in Devonshire, and that Stephens quotes many of his 

 records. Many of these have been considered doubtful, but in the face of recent captures I am 

 inclined to think that most of them are right, and that even Agabus brunneus will again be discovered 



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