British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British IslesShuckard, William Edward
Science
British Bees: An Introduction into the Studies of the Natural History and Economy of the Bees Indigenous to the British Isles
Shuckard, William Edward
Bees; Hymenoptera -- Great Britain
The male Eucera can be distinguished from those of _Anthophora_ and
_Saropoda_, both by the differences in the number of the submarginal
cells of the wing, and by the extreme length of its antennæ, whence the
genus derives its name. In _Andrena_ and _Cilissa_, the males have
usually lanceolate bodies. In the latter genus there will be no
difficulty in associating the legitimate partners; but in _Andrena_,
although general habit will usually bring the male within the boundary
of the genus, nothing but experience, or specific description will
associate the sexes correctly, there being in many cases an
extraordinary discrepancy between them. These two genera themselves also
can scarcely be distinguished apart, excepting by means of their trophi;
_Cilissa_, however, in general habit greatly resembles the genus
_Colletes_, especially the _Cilissa tricincta_, which might, upon a
superficial glance, be almost mistaken for one of them.
The male _Halicti_ have long cylindrical bodies and long antennæ, but
from the male _Chelostoma_, which has a very similarly shaped body also
and long antennæ, they may be distinguished by the differences in the
number of the submarginal cells; and from those of _Sphecodes_, by the
antennæ, which, in the latter are not relatively so long, and are
usually moniliform. The thorax of these is also less pubescent, and the
tinge of the red colour of their abdomen is different from that of the
red male _Halicti_.
The males of _Cœlioxys_ can be readily distinguished from those of
_Megachile_, by the spinose apex of their abdomen. In _Megachile_,
general habit will bring the males within the precincts of their genus,
as well as their largely dilated anterior tarsi in some of the species.
A difficulty similar to what is found in the distinction between
_Andrena_ and _Cilissa_, arises in the separation of _Chelostoma_ from
_Heriades_, and which we shall again meet with in drawing the line
between _Anthophora_ and _Saropoda_. The difference can only be detected
by examining the trophi, but a pin and a little patience will elucidate
the separation. The males in all but two species of _Anthophora_ may be
readily associated with their partners; but in these two the females are
entirely black, and so hirsute as to have led Ray (wanting the knowledge
of the use of the trophi and posterior shanks) to unite the one he knew
with his _Bombylii_; their males are fulvous, and the latter have a
remarkable elongation of the intermediate tarsi, from one of the joints
of which also a tuft of hair or a loose lateral fringe projects, giving
them thus a wider expansion, and the use of which is prehensile, the
same as that for which the anterior tarsi in some of the _Megachiles_
and in our single _Anthidium_ receive their dilatation. This structure
has also the effect of adding very considerably to the elegance of their
appearance when they are in fine condition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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