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Psyche 14:95-100, 1907.

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19071 JOHNSON - GENUS BOMBYLZUS 95
A REVIEW OF THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS BOMBYLIUS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.
BY CHARLES W. JOHNSON, BOSTON, MASS.
SINCE making a study of the types of Bombylius lancifer 0. S., in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, together with a comparison of the description of B. mexi- canus Wied. and philadelphicus Macq., I find that there is a mistaken identification of two of our eastern species, and that the specimens referred to B. lancifer and philadelphicus in the New Jersey List, represent two undescribed species, while another undescribed form has been confounded with fulvibasis Macq. (= atriceps Loew).
Considering the apparently short duration of life of the adults of such readily recognized species as B. major, pygmaeus, pulchellus and varius, the time of appear- ance undoubtedly constitutes an important factor in determining closely related species. This feature requires a more careful study than I am now able to give, and while I have a large and carefully collected series, their relationship and time of appearance was not understood at the time they were collected. Owing to the fact that they are so easily denuded, specimens should be collected with the greatest care for denuded specimens are neither beautiful nor useful. Their life histories would also prove an interesting line of study. As far as known they are parasitic upon bees, chiefly Andrena and CoUetes.
From the latitude of Philadelphia northward to Massachusetts the species can be divided provisionally into two groups:- those appearing in the spring, and those which appear in the summer; B. major, pygmaeus, pulchellus and fulvibasis repre- senting the spring forms, and B. mexicanus, incanus, fraudulentus, varius and sub- varius those of the summer.
For B. validus I have no date of capture, I.
Wings with the anterior half brown, which is sinuous and sharply defined pos- teriorly . . majorL.
Wings with the basal portion brown and spotted with brown posteriorly . 2 Wings with the basal portion brown, which is gradually evanescent posteriorly 3 2.
Wings with the spots more or less coalescent and forming three quite distinct oblique cross-bands . . pulchellus Loew. Wings with six or seven spots on the hyaline portion . . pygmoeus Fab.



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96 PSYCHE [October
3. Pile grayish white . . incanus n. sp. Pile yellowish . 4
Pile yellowish, the black hairs predominating on the abdomen . 5
4. Wings with the posterior portion strongly tinged with brown . . 6 Wings with the posterior portion grayish hyaline . 7 5. Sternum with black pile, large species, 12 mm. . . vurius Fab. Sternum with white pile, small species, 6-8 mm. , . .subvariusn.sp. 6. Proboscis nearly as long as the body, large species, 12 mm. . validus Loew. Proboscis only one-half the length of the body, small species, 5-8 mm. fruudulenius n. sp.
7.
Third joint of the antennae long and narrowly lanceolate, large species, 10-12 mm. . . mexicanus Wied.
Third joint of the antennae more broadly lanceolate, small species, 6-8 mm. fulvibasis Macq.
This is the most common and widely distributed of any of the species. It is found from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and throughout Europe and Northern Asia to Japan. In Louisiana it makes its appear- ance in March, in Colorado in April. In the vicinity of Philadelphia it is found from April 9, to May 19, depending on the season. Waltham and Wellesley, Mass., May 6 to 9.
BOMBYLIUS PYGMAEUS Fabricius.
This species as a rule seems to be more northern in its distribution, although recorded from Virginia.
I have not been able to obtain the species south of New Jersey, Jamesburg, May 4, and Passaic Co. May 14. In Massachusetts the species
seems to be quite common at Auburndale (Riverside) May 7, and Waltham, May 30. It has also been taken by Mrs. A. T. Slosson at Franconia, N. H., and by Mr. G. Chagnon at Montreal.
BOMBYLIUS PULCHELLUS Loew.
A beautiful little species very common in the vicinity of Philadelphia, from April 29 to May 21, according to the season, but only remaining about a fortnight during any one year.
I have a specimen from New York, collected by Mrs. Slosson, and have received specimens from Prof. C. H. Fernald, collected at Amherst, Mass., May 17 and 19.




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19071 JOHNSON - GENUS BOMBYLIUS
BOMBYLIUS FULVIBASIS Macquart .
B. fulvibasis Macq. Dipt. Exot. V, 82, 1855. B. atriceps hew, Cent. IV, 49, 1863.
There seems to be no doubt that Macquart's name will have to be adopted for this species - "Long. 23,l. 9 . Trompe longue de deux lignes. Barbe blanche.
Face d'un noir luisant.
Front : le tiers anterieur d'un noir mat, leger duvet fauve;
les deux tiers postkrieurs d'un nuir luisant, ii polls noirs." The size can only apply
to this species and not to the specimen of "phiZadeZphicus" which Baron Osten Sacken found with it - see 0. S. Cat'l., note 159, p. 238. This species which often closely resembles the following, is distinguished by its smaller size (6 to 8 mm.), duller yellow pile, with slight bands of black hairs on the abdomen, and the shorter and broader third antennal joint. Although widely dis- t,ributed it seems to be quite local. I have only taken it at Clementon, N. J., where it can be obtained in great numbers on the flowers of the Sand Myrtle (Leiophyllum buxifolium Ell.), May 9-16. It has been collected by Mr. B. H. Walden at New Haven, Conn., May 25, by Dr. Geo. Dimmock, at Springfield, Mass., May 22 and by Mrs. ~lossck at Charlotte Harbor, Ha.
BOMBYLIUS MEXICANUS Wiedemann.
B. philadelphicus Macq., Dipt. Exot. 11, 1, p. 99, pi. VI, f. 3. This is a larger species (10 to 11 mm.) than /uIvibasis, with brighter and thicker yellow pile, black hairs rarely present, and a narrow lanceolate third antennal joint. It is usually found in the greatest number, about three weeks later than fulvibasis. It is represented in my collection by a specimen from Florida collected by Mrs. Slosson; Tifton, Ga., May 16 (G. R. Pilate); Ft. Washington, Md,, May 26; Clem- enton, N. J., May 30; Riverton, N. J., June 9-16; Iona, N. J., June 8 (E. Daecke). BOMBYLIUS INCANUS, n. sp.
B. philadelphicus Johnson, in Smith's Cat'l. N. J. Insects, p. 649 (not of Mac- quart).
(5\
Face and front covered with dense silvery white hair, vertical triangle black, with black hairs, antennae black, the third joint narrowly lanceolate, probos- cis about 3 mm. in length. Thorax grayish black, with white pile, the pile on the dorsum and scutellum less abundant and interspersed with black. Abdomen covered
+
with long dense white pile, with a slight tuft of black hairs on the sides. A specimen



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YO PSYCHE [Oct,ober
from Provincetown, Mass., has two tufts on each side, the anterior one being more prominent and giving the appearance of a transverse band, although no black hairs are present on the dorsal portion. Legs yellow, coxae, bases of the femora, knees and tips of the tarsi dark brown. Wings with the anterior basal third, dark brown, varying somewhat in extent and intensity. The specimens from Groton, Mass., are noticeably darker near the veins, the posterior portion of the wing hyaline, with a slight grayish tinge.
Length, 5-7 mm.
9.
Front grayish above the antennae, and with short silvery white hairs, upper part and vertex grayish pollinose with black hairs. The abdomen has two
+
distinct bands of black hairs, the hairs procumbent, the brown area of the wings less profused and hardly extending beyond the middle of the first basal cell, in other respects resembling the 3.
The records for this species are at present confined to two states. In New Jersey it was first taken by the writer at Jamesburg, July 4,1893, on May 30, 1897, a single specimen was collected at Clementon, and on June 13 of the same year a num- ber were taken at Atco. Since then (June 8, 1902) it has been collected by Mr. E. Daecke at Iona and by Dr. P. P. Ca1vert;at Albion, June 1. The first specimens
from Massachusetts to come under my observation were two, badly rubbed, from West Chop, Martha's Vineyard, collected by Mr. Albert P. Morse July 4, 1893. On June 24-27, 1904,I collected a number of specimens at Provincetow.n, and at Groton, July 8, 1905. There is a rubbed specimen in the Loew collection of this species marked "sp. nova inad."
This interesting species I have always found under similar conditions, i. e., hovering over or alighting on the gray white sand of an old roadway, thecolor of the sand and fly being very similar. It resembles B. metopium 0. S. from California, but lacks the brown strip of hairs extending from the shoulders to the base of the wings and also the black femora of that species. Types (3 Q ) from Provincetown are in the New England collection of the Boston Society of Natural History. BOMBYLIUS SUBVARIUS n. sp.
B. lancifer Johnson.
In Smith's Cat'l. N. J. Ins. p. 649, 1890 (not of Osten Sacken).
8.
Face reddish brown, shining, sparsely covered with long black hairs; frontal triangle covered with a brownish pollen and bearing long black hair; inferior orbits and cheeks white, with long silvery, white hairs; antennae brownish black, the third joint very narrowly lanceolate; proboscis 6 mm. in length. Thorax black, opaque, covered with a long erect dull yellowish pile, which is mixed with black on



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19071 JOHNSON - GENUS BOMBYLIUS , YY
the post-alar callus and scutellum; lower part of the pleurae and sternum with white pile. Abdomen, base yellowish pilose with black predominating on the second and third segments, forming two broad bands, the black pile also predominating on the last segment; basal half of the venter white pilose, the remainder more or less black- ish. Legs yellow, coxae black, knees and outer portion of the tarsi brown. Wings with the dark brown basal area quite clearly defined, extending into the discal and the first and third submarginal cells, the remainder of the wing grayish hyaline. 9
Front covered with procumbent golden yellow tomenturn and long black hairs (in denuded specimens shining black). The thorax, scutellum and abdomen beneath the thin yellowish and black pile, are covered with a procumbent golden tomentum, the white pile of the pleurae extending upward and forming a tuft in front of the wings. There are also tufts of white hairs on the sides of the first and fourth segments of the abdomen. Length, 7- 8 mm. Three specimens collected by the writer on the flowers of the New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) at Morris Plains, N. J., June 25, 1892. Two specimens
collected by Mr. H. L. Viereck at Lehigh Gap, Pa., June 26 and 29, 1901. From the description, the 3 of this species was inadvertently referred to B. lancifer.
Its is however smaller and less robust, lacks the line of brown pile extend- ing from the humeri to the wing's, has narrower third antenna1 joints and a shorter proboscis. The male of this species resembles that of varius in miniature, but the pile of the sternum is white and not black, as in that species. BOMBYLIUS VARIUS Fabr.
This large and handsome species has been taken by the writer at the following localities : Glymont, Md., May 25, '96; Morton, Pa., July 7, '93; Westville and Riverton, N. J., June 15 to July 2. It was common at the latter place on the flowers of the "Red Osier" (Cornus sericea).
BOMBYLIUS FRAUDULENTUS n. sp.
8.
Face and front brownish black, opaque, with long black hairs, oral margin reddish, cheeks whitish with silvery white hairs; antenna black and narrowly lanceo- late, proboscis about one half the length of the body. Thorax with long dense yellow pile, lower portion of the pleurae and sternum with white pile. Abdomen with yellow pile interspersed with black along the posterior margins of the third and fourth segments, forming more or less prominent bands; pile on the venter white. Legs yellow, extreme base of the femora, knees and terminal joints of the tarsi brown,



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J.UU PSYCHE [October
coxae black.
Wings a dark yellowish brown at the base, extending in a somewhat lighter brownish shade over the entire wing, which is narrow and gradually tapering towards the apex.
9 .
Front slightly covered with a golden yellow tomentum, easily denuded, leaving the upper part a polished black. On the abdomen the long hairs are less
prominent, and the entire surface is covered by a yellow tomentum, a dorsal line and spots of whitish tomentum on the sides of the third and fourth segments being sometimes quite prominent.
Length, 5-8 mm.
This species has been collected at the following places in New Jersey:- Iona, June 2, '02, (Daecke) ; Atco, June 18, '93; Ja.mesburg, July 4, '94; Orange Mts., July 4, '96; Morris Plains, June 24, '92 and Dover, June 25, '92 (Johnson). In Connecti- cut, at New Haven, June 27 (E. J. S. Moore) and in Massachusetts at Springfield, July 2 and 10, '99; Mt. Tom, June 26, '00, and July 14, '05 (Dimmock); West Chop, July 4, '93 (A. P. Morse), Provincetown, June 27 and Hyannis Port, July 3, '04 (Johnson). In the list of New Jersey Diptera, this species was confounded with subvarius (lancife'r). It can however be readily distinguished from both subvarius and fulvibasis by its dark evenly clouded wings, which are noticeably narrower and more gradually tapering, especially in the male, and also by the shorter proboscis. It appears in greater numbers at least a month later, than fulvibasis. The types, (8 Provincetown and 9 Hyannis Port) are in the New England collection of the Boston Society of Natural History. BOMBYLIUS VALIDUS Loew.
This large species I have not been able to obtain on any of my collecting trips, and there seems to be no date bearing on its time of appearance. It is widely dis-
tributed, being recorded from "Ga., Va., Ill., N. Y., and Montreal." I have a speci-
men marked ('Tex.," (Bolter).
It is readily distinguished by its noticeably long bright yellow pile and long proboscis.
The dark brown of the wings extends in a slightly lighter z& shade over the entire surface.



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