THE
ESSEX NATURALIST
BEING THE
Journal of the Essex Field Club.
VOLUME XXII.
NOTES ON METHOCA ICHNEUMONIDES LATR.
By HUGH MAIN, B.Sc., F.Z.S., F.E.S.
(With One Plate.)
[Read 30th October, 1926.]
I HAVE recently had the opportunity of observing this
interesting hymenopteron through the kindness of my friend
Mr. K. G. Blair, who gave me one of two females he took in
Surrey last August.
In Saunders' Hymenoptera Aculeata, published in 1896, it is
stated that nothing is known of the habits of this insect. The
male is described as being much larger than the female and
winged, while the female is apterous. A detailed description
is given of the two sexes. There is only one European species
of the genus, which is very rare, especially in the male sex.
In the Entomologists' Monthly Magazine for November, 1914,
and February, 1915, a very good account of the activities of
Methoca was given by H. G. and R. I. Champion. References
are also given to the work of Adlerz, a Swede, published in 1904
and 1906, and of Bouwman, a Dutchman, in 1909. Photographs
of the development of the Methoca larva accompanied Adlerz's
paper.
My own contribution to the subject merely consists of a series
of photographs illustrating the development of the larva. The
authors I have mentioned had opportunities of extended obser-
vations in the field, which I have not yet had the opportunity
of confirming, but I hope to endeavour to do so next year.
At present I cannot do better than give a short summary of
what has been published on the subject by the authors above