lO 
G. J. Snowball. 
:^S 
HELINA. 
This genus is wide-spread in Australia (Mailoch, 1925C) and is represented 
at Crawley by the following species 
Helina coerulescens, Sleie. 
Though common on fresh dung at Crawley during the same period, this 
metallic fly has not yet been reared from cow dung. It is similar in habits 
to R. carinata. 
Helina hypopleuralis, Mall. 
Four specimens bred from cow dung at Crawley in September and No- 
vember, 1941, belong to this species or to one near it. 
Helina regina, Mall. 
One specimen near this species was reared from cow^ dung at Crawley. 
Muscina stabulans, Meig. 
This wide-spread species has a variety of breeding media. Howard (1912), 
in America, lists as food for its larvae, decaying animal matter, cow dung, 
fungi, caterpillars, larval bees, dead pupae, decaying plant materials, and 
human excreta. Fuller (1934) notes its association with carrion. In Denmark 
it was reared from pig, cow, and calf dung (Thomsen & Hammer, 1936). 
The flies have been reared from rotting potatoes and also from carrion 
in Australia (Hardy, 1938), whereas Muirhead Thomson (1937) stated that 
he had never seen nor had been able to induce oviposition by M. stabulans 
on carrion. 
Only one specimen has been reared from cow dung at Crawley. 
Order 7— HYMENOPTERA. 
F. 1. ALYSIIDAE. 
An undetermined species of Alysiid is associated with cow dung at C'raw ley, 
most numerous during the period February to November. In spite of their 
delicate build they sometimes penetrate deeply into the interior of cakes, 
presumably to parasitise Sepsid and Drosophilid larvae, since puparia so 
infested are occasionally found. Fenales are more numerous than males. 
An Alysiid, Alysia manducator Pantzer, has been introduced into Aus- 
tralia as a parasite of sheep blowflies, but it has failed to establish itself (C.S.I.R. 
1933). 
F. 2. FIGITIDAE. 
Small wasps belonging to this family are encountered throughout the 
year in and on first stage dungs. As no material parasitised by them was 
obtained, their hosts are not known. This is also true of a number of other 
wasps belonging to various families, which were not identified because noth- 
ing is known of their habits. 
F. 3. FORMICIDAE. 
On fresh dungs, small ants are usually present as predators attacking 
adult Borborids and Sepsids. In due course they carry off immature stages of 
beetles and flies. They are most active during the summer, at ^vhich time 
they appear to influence the population considerably. Nevertheless, in 
August, 1941, many of the second and third stage cow dcmgs were packed 
with pupae which ants were removing. 
