. Fig. 32.— I'oliicella ntficanda,'Brun., (^. Bomhiis) or with short inconspicuous pubescence ; some strong black bristles above base of wing, on post-alar calli and back of mesopleura, along sides of thorax and round margin of scutelluin. Ahdovien short-ovate, broader than thorax, with pubescence like that of the thorax. Legs simple. Wings with a characteristic venation ; marginal cell closed, anterior cross-vein distinctly before middle of discal cell, apical portion of 4th vein strongly recurrent; :^nd vein bristly at base. Life-history. The larvas live in bees' and hornets' nests, w
. Fig. 32.— I'oliicella ntficanda,'Brun., (^. Bomhiis) or with short inconspicuous pubescence ; some strong black bristles above base of wing, on post-alar calli and back of mesopleura, along sides of thorax and round margin of scutelluin. Ahdovien short-ovate, broader than thorax, with pubescence like that of the thorax. Legs simple. Wings with a characteristic venation ; marginal cell closed, anterior cross-vein distinctly before middle of discal cell, apical portion of 4th vein strongly recurrent; :^nd vein bristly at base. Life-history. The larvas live in bees' and hornets' nests, where they devour not the living hymenopterous larva) as was at Hrst supposed, but the dead larva) and pupse. Thus they are scavengers, and their presence in the liives is not resented. Ramie. The world, except Australia. An exceedingly well-inarked genus, many of the species showing great resemblance to humble-bees, wasps and hornets. Verrall makes the very interesting statement that of one of the commonest British species, V. bom/>ylons, L., about 60 per cent, of the specimens mimic the common bee liomhus terrestris, and about 38 per cent, mimic J>. lapidarius. while the remaining 2 per cent, may have tlie coh)ur-sclieme ol almost any species of Bomhus; the various forms jiair promiscuously. * Except in one Europoiiu species, V. inflata, Fabr., and possibly certain others.
Size: 2208px × 2263px
Photo credit: © The Bookworm Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiod, bookdecade1920, bookyear1920
