The following Hymenoptera appear new to me in the French fauna. I
append their description:—
Cerceris antoniæ, H. Fab.
Length—16–18 millimetres. Black, closely and strongly punctured;
clypeus raised like a nose, i.e. forming a convex projection, large at
the base, pointed at the end—like half a cone cut down its length;
crest between the antennæ projecting; a line above crest, cheeks, and a
large dot behind each eye, yellow; hood—yellow with black point;
mandibles, rusty yellow; tips, black. The 4th and 5th joints of
antennæ, rusty yellow, the rest brown. Two dots on prothorax, wing
scales and postscutellum, yellow; first segment of abdomen with two
dot-like spots; four next on posterior edge having a yellow band
sharply hollowed in triangle form, or even broken, and this the more as
the segment is a less distant one.
Under part of the body, black; feet entirely of rusty yellow colour;
wings slightly bronzed at tip. Female. Male unknown to me.
In colouring this species approaches Cerceris labiata, from which,
however, it differs remarkably in the form of the clypeus and the much
larger size of the insect. Observed round Avignon in July. I dedicate
this species to my daughter Antonia, whose help has often been valuable
to me in my entomological researches.
Cerceris julii, H. Fab.
Length—7–9 millimetres. Black, closely and strongly punctured; clypeus
flat; face covered with a fine silvery pubescence; a narrow yellow band
on each side, on the inner edge of the eyes; mandibles—yellow with
brown tips; antennæ—black above, pale red below; lower face of their
basal joint, yellow. Two small distant points on the prothorax; scales
of wings and postscutellum, yellow. A yellow band on third segment of
the abdomen, and another on the fifth; these two are deeply hollowed on
the anterior edge—the first in a semicircle, the second in a triangle.
Under part of the body all black; coxæ black; thighs of the hinder pair
of legs quite black; those of the two anterior pairs, black at base,
yellow at the ends; legs and tarsi, yellow; wings rather
smoke-coloured. Female.—Var. (1) Prothorax without yellow dots; (2) two
small yellow dots on second segment of abdomen; (3) wider yellow band
on inner side of the eyes; (4) front of clypeus edged with yellow.
Male unknown to me. This Cerceris, the smallest of my part of France,
feeds its larvæ on the smallest kinds of weevils (Bruchus granarius and
Apion gravidum). Observed round Carpentras, where it builds in
September in soft sandstone—locally called safre.
Bembex julii, H. Fab.
Length—18–20 millimetres. Black, with bristling whitish hairs on head,
thorax, and base of first segment of the abdomen; labrum lengthened,
yellow; clypeus, with a sloping ridge, forming as it were an angle of
three sides—one face—that of the outer edge—is all yellow, while each
of the two others is marked with a large rectangular black patch
bordering on its neighbour, and thus forming a stripe; both marks, as
well as the cheeks, are covered with a fine silvery down; cheeks on
line between the antennæ, yellow; posterior edge of eyes with a long
yellow border; mandibles—yellow, with brown tips; two first joints of
antennæ yellow beneath, black above, the rest black; prothorax—black;
sides and dorsal division, yellow; mesothorax—black; the callous point,
and a small one on each side above the base of the intermediate feet,
yellow; metathorax—black, with two yellow dots behind, and a larger one
on each side above the base of the hind feet. The two first dots are
sometimes wanting.
Abdomen—bright black above and without hairs, except at the base of the
first segment, which bristles with whitish ones. All the segments have
a wavy transverse band, wider on the sides than in the middle, and
approaching the posterior edge in proportion as the segment is further
back. On the fifth segment the yellow band reaches the posterior edge.
Anal segment—yellow, black at the base, bristling all over the dorsal
surface with papillæ of a rusty red, which serve as base to the hairs.
A row of like hair-bearing tubercules occupies also the posterior edge
of the fifth segment. Below, the abdomen is a brilliant black, with a
triangular yellow mark on each side of the four intermediate segments.
Coxæ—black; thighs yellow in front, black behind; legs and
tarsi—yellow; wings transparent.
Male.—The zig-zag mark on the clypeus is narrower, or even absent; face
then entirely yellow; abdominal bands very pale yellow, almost white.
The sixth segment has a band like the preceding ones, but shorter and
often reduced to two dots. The second segment has underneath it a
longitudinal keel, raised and spine-shaped behind. The anal one has
below it an angular, rather thick projection. Otherwise like the
female.
This Hymenopteron much resembles Bembex rostrata in size, shape, and
arrangement of the black and yellow colouring, but differs markedly in
the following characteristics:—The clypeus makes a triangle of three
sides, while in other Bembecids it is rounded and convex. Also at the
base is a large zig-zag band, formed by two rectangular marks joined
together and softened by a silvery down, very brilliant under certain
lights. The upper surface of the anal segment bristles with papillæ and
reddish hairs—likewise the further edge of the fifth segment. The
mandibles are only black at the tips, while in Bembex rostrata the base
is also black. Their habits are equally unlike; B. rostrata especially
hunts gadflies, while B. julii never catches large Diptera, but takes
smaller kinds of very varying size. It is frequent in the sandy land of
the Angles, round Avignon, and on the hill of Orange.
Ammophila julii, H. Fab.
Length—from 16–22 millimetres. Stalk of abdomen composed of the first
segment and half the second; third cubital narrowed towards the radial;
head—black, with silvery down on the face; antennæ—black; thorax—black,
with transverse stripes on its three segments, darker on prothorax and
mesothorax. Two marks on the sides and one behind either side of the
metathorax, covered with silvery down; abdomen bare, shining. First
segment—black; second—red in the part narrowing to the petiole and in
the widened part; third segment all red; the rest of a beautiful
metallic blue. Legs—black, with silvery down on the coxæ; wings
slightly reddish. Builds in October, and lays up two smallish
caterpillars in each cell. Nearly related to A. holosericea, having the
same shape, but differing markedly in the colour of the legs, which are
all black, by the much less downy head and thorax, and by the
transverse stripes on the three segments of the thorax.
I wish these three Hymenoptera to bear the name of my son Jules, to
whom I dedicate them.
Dear child! snatched so early from thy passionate love of flowers and
insects! Thou wert my fellow-worker; nothing escaped thy clear-sighted
glance; it was for thee that I was to write this book—for thee, to whom
its recital gave such delight, and thou wert one day to have continued
it. Alas! thou didst leave us for a better home, having heard but the
first few lines of the book. But at least let thy name appear in
it—borne by some of these industrious and beauteous Hymenoptera so dear
to thee!