The Masaridæ are a small group of black-yellow belted wasps, which are found in the south of Europe, but not in Britain, two of the commonest species being Celonites apiformis and Ceramius fonscolombi.
Section 3.—Fossores.
Fig. 20.—Cerceris Capito.
Family 6, Philanthidæ.—Most of the species belonging to this family are black with yellow spots and bands, and most of them are inhabitants of the warmer parts of the earth. Some of the species provision their nests with beetles and grasshoppers, while others attack bees, and are very mischievous, destroying great numbers.
Family 7, Crabronidæ.—This family includes a considerable number of solitary species of wasps. In colour they are generally black spotted and striped with yellow, but many of them are bright red.
The typical genus Crabro is a very extensive one, including over 150 species, a great proportion of which are inhabitants of Europe, while even Britain possesses more than thirty.
Crabro cribrarius is the largest British species. Its food consists principally of gnats and other dipterous insects. This insect and many others burrow in the ground, generally in hard sandbanks. Another species (Crabro brevis) frequents similar situations, and has been known to provision its nest with small beetles.
Fig. 21.—Chlorion Viridiæneum.