INSECTS
garden pot containing about 4 inches of prepared soil. On the soil around the willow I laid some close-growing moss and a tuft of grass. I took a suitable piece or two of bark, which I fastened to the willow with three or four strong pins, to serve the ants for a nest. Over all I raised a bag of close-woven white leno, resting on a contrivance of wire, and fastened tightly below the rim of the pot by string. Having made this improvised home ready, I placed on the moss two or three scraps of fresh meat, some moist sugar and preserved fruit. The ants were turned into it and after a day or two of unrest they took up their abode in the nest and settled down. The meat and other edibles were often replaced by fresh. The ants were often watched and seen to be using the food and foraging. In July, seeing but little of them, I unpinned a part of the nest and was surprised to see several larvs, upon and around which the ants were gathered. Three weeks later I again looked into the nest and was pleased to see several cocoons. During the last third of September, twenty-one males were bred from these cocoons. ACULEATA HETEROGTNA FoRMICIDi^ Formica rufa, Linn, (the Horse Ant). Shrawley, Trench Woods, Wyre Forest, etc. — sanguinea, Ltr. Wyre Forest ; common (Martineau) — exsecta, Nyl. Bewdley (Blatch) — fusca, Ltr. Temple Laughern, Worcester, etc. ; common in most localities Lasius fuliginosus, Ltr. Lathe Lane (Fletcher) ; Trench Woods (Mar- tineau) — umbratus, Nyl. In bank of Severn, Lenchford (Fletcher) ; Bewdley (Blatch) — flavus, De Geer. At foot of tree, Cotheridge (Fletcher) ; common in fields everywhere — niger, Linn, (the Garden Ant) ; common generally Formicoxenus nitidulus, Nyl. Bewdley (Blatch) Stenamma westwoodii, Westw. Hallow Leptothorax tuberum, Fab. Sides of Teme, Powick, Bransford Myrmica rubra, Linn., race laevinodis, Nyl. Hallow, Stoulton — ruginodis, Nyl. Stoulton, Little Eastbury — scabrinodis, Nyl. Old Hills, Monkwood FOSSORES MuTILLIDi* Myrmosa melanocephala, Fab. Crown East Wood (Fletcher) ; Moseley (Bradley) Sapygid^ Sapyga clavicornis, Latr. On a wooden rail. Crown East PoMPILIDiE Pompilus cinctellus. Spin. Wyre Forest (Martineau) — plumbeus, Fab. Crown East — niger, Fab. Moseley ; common (Bradley) — viaticus, Linn. Wyre Forest (Bradley) — spissus, Schiodte. Wyre Forest; common (Martineau) — gibbus, Fab. Wyre Forest, Droitwich, Moseley, etc. (Bradley) — unguicularis, Thorns. Moseley (Bradley) — pectinipes, V. de Lind. Wyre Forest (Martineau) ; Moseley (Bradley) Salius (S. G. Priocnemis, Schiodte), fuscus, Linn. Hallow (Fletcher) ; Wyre Forest, Malvern, Droitwich (Mar- tineau) — affinis, V. de Lind. Oldbury Road — exaltatus. Fab. Grimley — notatulus, Saund. Wyre Forest (Mar- tineau) ; Moseley (Bradley) — obtusiventris, Schiodte. Middleyards Agenia variegata, Linn. Monkwood Sphegid^ Trypoxylon figulus, Linn. In garden, Worcester (Fletcher) ; Moseley (Brad- ley) — clavicerum, Lep. Hallow — attenuatum, Sm. Crown East Spilomena troglodytes, V. de Lind. In- doors, Worcester Stigmus solskyi, Moraw. Hallow Pemphredon lugubris, Latr. Powick (Fletcher) ; Wyre Forest, Moseley (Bradley) 87
