194 
HYMENOPTERA. 
Pompilid,® (Ceropalid.e). 
Pronotum reaching the insertion of the wings. Legs Jong. 
The Pompilids are not a large family but contain some of the most 
conspicuous of the Aculeates. There are comparatively large forms, as 
well as very small ones. The 
colouring is sometimes dis¬ 
tinctly warning, but not in all, 
the deep blue-black of Pom- 
pilus analis , for instance, not 
being of obvious utility. There 
are no striking structural 
features ; the males are 
smaller, the abdomen with 
one more visible abdominal 
segment. The females have 
somewhat flattened forelegs 
in some cases, to fit them for 
burrowing and excavating in s 
The habits of some Indian species are known, but there is room 
for much observation. As a whole, these insects have the typical habits 
of Fossores, catching their prey, stinging it, laying it up in a convenient 
place for their young and depositing an egg there. Bingham states 
that “ Agenia, Pseudagenia, Paragenia and, I suspect, Macromeris too, 
construct little earthen shells for nests.” Others utilise available 
chinks or holes or make holes. 
Macromeris violacea, Lepel., is a common insect, of whose habits 
practically nothing is known. Bingham records seeing a species carry¬ 
ing spiders, and G. B. Dutt has obtained clay cells (stored with spiders) 
under the bark of old trees, made of mixed mud and vegetable matter. 
Pseudagenia hlanda, Guer., is a smaller metallic blue insect common 
throughout India. 
G. R. Dutt has found that Pseudagenia hlanda makes small earth 
cells under the bark of trees, the cells (filled with spiders), like those of 
Sceliphron madraspatanum,, but smaller and always in pairs, the one cell 
smaller than another. From the larger cell the female emerges, from 
Fig. 104.— Pseudagenia honesta. 
