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Psyche 14:101-?, 1907.

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LOVELL AND COCKERELL - A~PHECODIDAE
THE SPHECODIDAE OF SOUTHERN MAINE.
BY J. H. LOVELL AND T. D. A. COCKERELL.
THE genus Sphecode8 is represented in this locality by eight species, which have been collected chiefly in July and August. They visit a variety of flowers with easily accessible nectar, but the males have been found most commonly upon the inflores- cence of Solidago.
The species we very variable in coloration, sculpture and the venation of the wings. All of the species described in this paper have the mandibles bidentate. The Maine species may be separated by means of the following key: Mandibles black at base, rufous or rufescent at apices, size larger, over 6 mm. . 1.
Mandibles mainly red or yellowish-red, the apices darker, size smaller, less than 6 mm. . 2.
1. Abdomen wholly red, or segment 5 black, 9-10 mm. . . dichrous Sm. and lautus, perdmilis, obscuram n. spp.
Abdomen with segments 4-5 black, 64-8 mm. . . prosphoms n. sp. 2. Enclosure of metathorax reticulated, smaller . mandibula&. Enclosure with parallel rugae, larger . . kvisn.sp. MALES.
Wholly black, joint 4 = 2 -t 3 . 1.
Black and yellow or red, joint 4 nearly equals 3, small species . . 2. 1. Larger, 8-9 mm. . dic hrous.
Smaller, 6 mm. . prosphm n. sp.
2. Wings milky white nephelotus n. sp,
Wings dusky . . 3.
3. Enclosure reticulated, mandibles reddish-yellow, with darker red apex, mandibuhris.
Enclosure with parallel rugae, mandibles dark with red apex . . kvis n. sp. There occur at Waldoboro a small group of bees consisting of S. dichrous and a number of closely allied varieties or species, three of which have been named and described in this paper. The precise status of these bees must for the present remh uncertain, as owing to their rarity only one or a few specimens of each kind have been collected; and also because all of the males obtained belong to a single species. Care is necessary lest the table of differential characters prove misleading, since mention of like characters is largely omitted; and unlike characters, which often



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102 PSYCHE [October
require careful attention to be noted, are here readily perceived. In general appear- ance these bees bear a close resemblance, and their exact relationship can only be determined by a large series of specimens and much additional field study. Entirely apart from the question of their validity as species the variations pre- sented by these bees in the color of the wings, the color and punctuation of the abdo- men, and in several minor particulars are of so much interest that they are worthy of description.
They may be separated as follows*
Wings dusky, abdomen light red, segments 2-4 punctured all over. . lautus n. sp.
Wings reddish, abdomen darker . . I
1. Segments 1 and 2 impunctate, or with a few minute punctures, clypeus densely and confluently punctured . , persirnilis n. sp. Segment 1 impunctate, segments 2-4 finely punctured on basal third, seg. 4 largely, seg. 5 entirely black . . obscuran,~ n. sp. Segment 1 distinctly punctured, segments 2-4 with distinct punctures except on apical margins, sometimes a discal spot on segment 1 .
, dich~om Sm.
SPHECODES DICHROUS Sm.
1853 Sphecodes dich~-oa Sm. 9 (not g), Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus. 1: 38. Q ,- Length 8 rnm. Head and thorax black, abdomen red, a black discal spot on segment 1, the 5th segment black. Face clothed with white hair, punctures
on clypeus coarse and remote, front with large deep punctures. Mesothorax shining,
with large widely separated punctures.
Wings reddish, but less so than in obscurans or persirnilis; tegulae dark, probably variable in color. Metathorax not strongly
reticulated, the ridges chiefly longitudinal . Abdomen distinctly but not closely punctured, segment I with sparse, well-defined punctures ; following segments with distinct punctures except on apical margins. Taken on Crataegus coccinea, June 14.
A4nother specimen collected on Cornus
alternifolia, the last of June, is referred to this species, with which it agrees in most characters; but the discal spot on the first segment is wanting, or very obscure; and the area of the metathorax is more strongly reticulated. 3.- Eight black males taken on Solidago, August 9, 11, and 17, are temporarily referred to 8. dichrous. They vary in length from 7-8 mm., and some specimens are broader and more robust than others. The face and sometimes the clypeus is covered with white hair. The mesothorax is coarsely, but not densely punctured, except in front; the metathorax is shining, with short salient ridges, giving it an irregular pitted appearance. The wings vary from nearly hyaline, to hyaline with the apical



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19071 LOVELL AND COCKERELL- SPHECODIDAE 103 margin distinctly clouded with red.
The abdomen is very finely and rather sparsely punctured all over.
SPHECODES LAUTUS n. sp.
9 .- Length just over 9 mm.
Head and thorax black; abdomen red, of a rather light tint, long and nearly parallel-sided, with the apical segment black. Wings hyaline basally, the apical half strongly smoky, with a dilute blackish) but not at all reddish or yellowish tint. Face covered with white hair. Mesothorax sparsely punctured, shining; area of metathorax strongly, irregularly ridged with no well- defined margin. Abdomen finely punctured, sparsely on basal segment, 2nd and following segments punctured all over.
One specimen on Spiraea salicifolia) August 4. SPHECODES PERSIMILIS n. sp.
9 .- Length 9-10 mm.
Head and thorax black; abdomen red of a bright chestnut tint, of normal shape, apical segment red. Wings very strongly reddened.
Face with much white hair. Mesothorax densely and coarsely punctured; area of metathorax irregularly subcancellate. Abdominal segments 1 and 2 nearly im- punctate, or with a few scattered punctures, basal part of apical segments with small punctures.
Two specimens on Umbelliferous flowers, July 14 and 19. SPHECODES OBSCURANS n. sp.
9 .-Length about 8* mm.
Head and thorax black; abdomen dark red, the apical segment black, and the penultimate suffused with blackish. Wings very
strongly reddish.
Face with little hair.
Mesothorax dull (probably due to moisture in cyanide jar), with sparse rather weak punctures; area of metathorax strongly reticulated, not well-defined. First segment impunctate, segments 2-4 with minute punctures only on the basal third.
One specimen on Aralia hispida, which blooms here in July. Two other speci- mens, also taken on Aralia hispida, July 7 and 16, resemble 8. obscuran3, but differ in several particulars.
In Can. Ent. 36: 232, 1904, there are described from Washington State a similar group of bees closely allied to 8. dichrous, one of which (8, a~vensiformis Ckll,) it is noteworthy has the wings dark and very yellow. A comparison of the differential characters of the four Maine species is as follows:



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PSY CHI3
[October
Character.
Head. Front.
Eyes.
Clypeus
Wings
Tegulae.
Mesothorax.
Area of meta-
thorax.
Punctuation
of abdomen.
S. dichrous Sm.
Punctures large
and deep with the
shining intervals
plainly visible.
Black.
Coarsely punc-
tured.
Reddened? but lesf
so than in obscur-
ans and persirnilis
Dark.
Shining, with
widely separated
punctures.
Ridges chiefly lon-
gitudinal, with a
few cross ones.
Distinctly but not
closely punctured
1st segment
sparsely segs. 2-4
except on apical
margins.
S. obscurans n. sp.
Punctures very
close and quite
small, but very
distinct. Short
transverse head.
Paler.
Large punctures
widely separated
in the middle, a
median sulcus.
Strongly reddish.
Lighter.
Dull, with sparse
weak punctures.
Strongly reticula-
ted, margin not
well-defined.
Segment 1 im-
punctate, segs. 2-
4 with minute
punctures on ba-
sal third.
S. lautus n. sp.
Punctures large.
Intense black,
Large punctures.
Dusky hyaline.
Dark.
Shining, sparsely
punctured.
Strongly, irregu-
larly ridged, mar-
gin poorly d2-
fined.
Finely punctured
segment I sparse-
ly, segs. 2-4 all
over.
S. persirnilis n. sp.
Coarsely pum-
tured? dull.
Apparently brown
In life, convex
below.
Densely and con-
fluently punc-
tured.
Strongly reddish.
IJighter.
Densely and
coarsely punc-
tured.
Irregularly ridged.
Segments J and 2
nearly impunc-
hate, segs. 3-4
with small punc-
tures at base.
SPHECODES PROSPHORUS n. sp.
Q .-Length 8 mm. Head and thorax black; abdominal segments 1-3 dark red, very shiny, the apical segments black, or the fourth partly reddish. Face
thinly clothed with white pubescence; densely and finely punctuated above the antennae and on the vertex; mandibles bidentate, black at base with dark red apices, Mesothorax smooth and shining, with sparse distinct punctures, the median sulcus evident. m7ings dusky hyaline, with a distinct brown tint, stigma and nervures dark rufo-fuscous, tegulae rufo-fuscous. Enclosure of metathorax well-defined



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19071 LOVELL AND COCKERELL - SPHECODIDAE 105 with a salient rim) shining, coarsely reticulated) the reticulations irregular in form but about the same size. Segment 1 with a few small scattered punctures; segments 2-3 with numerous fine punctures at ba~e, the apical margins depressed) smooth. and shining; segments 1-3 dark red; apical segments black; segment 3 in some specimens partly clouded with black.
8.- Length 6 mm.
Entirely black, resembles the male of 8. dichrous, but is smaller with finer punctures; the apical margins of the abdominal segments are depressed) impunctate) and obscurely testaceous. One male taken on Solidago) Aug. 9) has only two submarginal cells.
The female was taken on Crataegus coccinea: June 14; the male on Aralia hispida, July 30; and Solidago Aug. 17. This species is allied to 8. dichrous) but typical specimens may be easily separated by the smaller size of both sexes. It is a neater, more shining species with finer sculpturing, and in the female the abdomen is more largely clouded with black. A female from Spiraea salicifolia) July 30) is smaller and duller) the red of the abdomen lighter) with the black apex better defined, and the wings not so brown. It may represent a distinct species, but more material is necessary to decide this question. Compared with the various Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast species) 8. prosphorus is not much like any of them, but it has a very close resemblance to the European 8. gibbus. The male of gibbus) however, usudly has the abdomen red) except at base and apex. SPHECO~~S LEVIS n. sp.
9 .-Length about 5 mm. Head and thorax black; abdomen red with black apical segments; mandibles lively red with the base black) bidentate) the inner tooth small; antennae black) the flagellum faintly reddened beneath. Mesothorax shining, with rather large well separated punctures, the median sulcus distinct but shallow; wings dusky hyaline with dark brown nervures and stigma) tegulae tesiaceous in front, area of metathorax well-defined, semicircular with parallel longitudinal rugae) but not reticulated, though there are indications of cross lines, giving the rugae a sort of beaded appearance. Abdomen impunctate, segments 1-2 red, segment 3 suf- fused with blackish) apical segments black. 8.- Length about 54 mm.
Head and thorax black; abdominal segment 1 black with apical margin yellowish-red; 2nd segment yellowish-red at base, sides and apex) center black; apical segments black. Breadth of head about equal to the length; mandibles black) rufous at tips; antennae black) joint 4 nearly equals 3. Mesothorax shining) rather coarsely punctured: semicircular enclosure of met%- thorax well-defined with parallel rugae. Wings a light shade of fuscous~ stigma and nervures brown, tegulae black.




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106 PSYCHE [October
One female on Cornus canadensis late in June, male on Solidago bicolor. Readily separated from other Maine bees by the parallel longitudinal rugae of the metathorax.
SPHECODES MANDIBULARIS Cr.
1872 Sphecodes mandibularis Cr. Q , Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 4: 250. 1897 Sphecodes mandibularis Robt. $ 8, Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 317. 1903 Sphecodium cressonii Robt. 9 8, Ent. News, 14: 106. Two females collected on Solidago, July 27 and Aug. 7; the male on Solidago juncea, Aug. 7; Carduus arvensis, Aug. 6; and on Solidago, July 30 to Aug. 25. Of twelve specimens of the male all have the abdomen largely red. One male has the first transverse cubital nervure wanting in one wing and obsolescent in the other. (The type of S. mandibularis Cr. is no longer in existence, but there is a cotype which Mr. Cresson regards as in all respects typical. The cotype, Mr. Viereck informs me, has the mandibles bidentate.- J. H. L.) SPHECODES NEPHELOTUS n. sp.
&-Length 5 mm.
Head and thorax black; abdomen largely red, but the apical margins of segments 1-3 are broadly reddish-yellow; on segment 2 the black is often reduced to a narrow, median strip, the base of segment 2 may also be yellow; segment 1 has the base always broadly black. Face clothed with dense, white hair;
scape black, flagellum testaceous beneath, blackish above, joint 4 nearly equals 3; mandibles red, dark only at extreme base. Mesothorax shining, with fine, sparse
punctures; wings milky-white, nervures and stigma pale brownish; tegulae testaceous; enclosure of metathorax well-defined, obscurely reticulated, the rugae tending to become parallel.
Fourteen males collected on Carduus arvensis, Aug. 6; Solidago juncea, Aug. 3-7; and Solidago, Aug. 17.
Easily distinguished by the milky-white wings. SPHECODES GALERUS n. sp.
9 .-Length 64 mm.
Head and thorax black; abdomen broad, first two segments and base of third dark red, apical segments black. Mandibles dark rufous
apically; flagellum dull brown beneath; mesothorax coarsely and closely punctate, opaque; area of metathorax shining, strongly reticulated, with a prominent rim. Wings dusky hyaline, with a brownish tint, nervures and stigma very dark, second submarginal cell narrow, much contracted above.



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19071 LOVELL AND COCKERELL - SPHECODIDAE 107 One specimen from Hampton, New Hampshire, collected by S. A. Shaw, Sept. 9, 1905.
Readily known from S. prosphorus by its smaller size and much more densely punctured mesothorax. In Robertson's table it runs to S. clematidis, but the mesothorax is not at all "strongly sulcate," the abdomen is different, and the nervures and stigma are much darker. The coarse, close punctures of the meso- thorax, and the color of the mandibles readily separate it from S. levis. The larger size alone separates it at a glance from 8. rnandibularis. THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF SPHECODES. SPHECODES ANTENNARIAE Robt.
1891 Sphecodes antennariae Robt. 9, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 18: 63. 1903 Dialonia antennariae Robt. Q J', Ent. News, 14 : 105. SPHECODES ARROYANUS Ckll.
1904 Sphecodes arroyanus Ckll. 9, Ent. 37: 231. SPHECODES ARVENSIS Patton.
1880 S-phecodes arvensis Pat,ton, 9 J', Am. Ent. 3 : 230. 1897 Sphecodes dichrous Robt. 9 J', Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 316. 1903 Sphecodes arvensis Robt. 9 J', Ent. News, 14: 106. SPHECODES ASCLEPIADIS Ckll.
1898 Sphecodes asclepiadis Ckll. 9 , Bull. Denison Univ. 11 : 45. SPHECODES ARVENSIFORMIS Ckll.
1904 Sphecodes urvensiformis Ckll. $ , Can. Ent. 36~233. SPHECODES CLEMATIDIS Robt .
1897 Sphecodes clematidis Robt. 9 J', Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7 : 320. SPHECODES COLUMBIAE Ckll.
1906 Sphecodes columbiae Ckll. Q , Can. Ent. 38: 280. SPHECODES CONFERTUS Say.
1837 Sphecodes confertus Say, $ , Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 1: 392. e
1859 Sphecodes confertus Lee. ed. Say's Writ. 2: 771. 1865 Sphecodes confertus Sichel, 9 , Ann. Soc. Ent, Fr. 5 : 454. 1880 Sphecodes falcifer Patton, 9 J' , Am. Ent. 3 : 230. 1897 Sphecodes confertus Robt. 9, Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 319. 1903 Drepanium falciferum Robt. 9 J', Ent. News, 14 : 105. SPHECODES DAVISII Robt.
1897 Sphecodes davisii Robt . J' , Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7 : 319.



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108 PSYCHE
[October
SPHECODES DICHROUS Sm.
1853 Sphecodes dichroa Sm. Q (not J' ), Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus. 1. 38. 1865 Sphecodes dichrous Sichel, Q , (not 8), Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 5: 461. 1882 Halictus scabrosus Prov. J', Nat. Can. 13 : 200. 1882 Sphecodes dichroa Prov. 9, Nat. Can. 13: 257. 1883 Halwtus scabrosus Prov. J', Faun. ent. Can. Hym. p. 700. 1883 Sphecodes dichroa Prov. 9, Faun. ent. Can. Hym. p. 724. 1904 Sphecodes dichrous Ckll. Can. Ent. 36: 304. SPHECODES EUSTICTUS Ckll.
1906 Sphecodes eustictus Ckll. Q , Can. Ent. 38 : 162. SPHECODES FORTIOR Ckll.
1898 Sphecodes fortior Ckll. J', Bull. Denisin Univ. 11 : 44, SPHECODES FRAGARIAE Ckll.
1903 Sphecodes fragariae Ckll. Q , Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 24: 98. SPHECODES HERACLEI Robt.
1897 Sphecodes heraclei Robt. $ , Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7 : 318. 1903 Sphecodes heraclei Robt. Q 8, Ent. News, 14 : 105-6. SPHECODES HESPERELLUS Ckil.
1904 Sphecodes hesperellus Ckll. Q 8, Can. Ent. 36: 232. var. PULSATILLAE Ckll.
1906 Sphecodes hesperellus var. pulsatillae Ckll. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 7, 18: 75.
SPHECODES ILLINOIENSIS Robt.
1897 Sphecodes pycnanthemi Robt. (in part), Q , Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 320. 1903 Machaeris illinoensis Robt. Q , Ent. News, 14: 107. SPHECODES KINCAIDII Cldl.
1898 Sphecodes kincaidii Ckll. $ , Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1 : 56. SPHECODES KNETSCHI Ckll.
1898 Sphecodes knetschi Ckll. Q J', Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 25: 186. SPHECODES LEPTANTHI ddl.
1904 Proterafter leptanthi Ckll. J', Ent. 37 : 232. SPHECODES MANDIBULARIS Cr.
1872 Sphecodes mandibularis Cr. $ , Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 4: 250. 1888 Sphecodes mandibularis Prov. Q J', Add. faun. Can. Hym. p. 335. 1897 Sphecodes mandibularis Robt. Q J' , Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7 : 317. 1903 Sphecodium cressonii Robt. Q J', Ent. News, 14 : 106.



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19071
LOVELL AND COCKERELL - SPHECODIDAE
SPHECODES MINOR Robt.
1898 Sphecodes minor Robt. $ , Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 8: 45. SPHECODES OLYMPICUS Ckll.
1904 Sphecodes olympicus Ckll. 9 , Can. Ent 36: 230. SPHECODES PECOSENSIS Ckll.
1904 Sphecodes pecosensis Ckll. $ , Ent. 37 : 5. SPHECODES PERLUSTRANS Ckll.
1898 Sphecodes perlustrans Ckll. $ , Bull. Denison Univ. 11 : 45. 1899 Sphecodes perlustrans Ckll. Can. Ent. 31 : 256. SPHECODES PIMPINELLAE Robt.
1900 Sphecodes pimpinellae Robt. 9 , Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 10: 51. 1903 Sphecodium pimpinellae Robt. 9
3, Ent. News, 14: 106.
SPHECODES PYCNANTHEMI Robt.
1897 Sphecodes pycnanthemi Robt. $ , (in part), Tr. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 320. 1903 Sphecodium pycnanthemi Robt. $ , Ent. News, 14: 106. . SPHECODES RHOIS Ckll.
1904 Proteraner rhois Ckll. 3, Ent. 37 : 233. SPHECODES SEMICOI~ORATUS Ckll.
1897 Hahctus semicoloratus Ckll. $ , Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 24: 168. 1898 Sphecodes semicoloratus Ckll. Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 25: 186. SPHECODES SMILACINAE Robt.
1897 Sphecodes smilacinae Robt. 9, Tr. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 317. SPHECODES SOPHIAE Ckll.
1898 Sphecodes sophiae Ckll. $ , Bull. Denison Univ., 11: 44. 1904 Sphecodes sophiae Ckll. Ent. 37: 232. SPHECODES STYGIUS Robt.
1893 Sphecodes stygius Robt. $ 3, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 20 : 145. 1897 Sphecodes stygius Robt., Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 317. 1903 Machaeris stygia Robt. 9 3, Ent. News, 14 : 107. SPHECODES SULCATULUS Ckll.
1906 Sphecodes sulcatulus Ckll. 9, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 22: 426. SPHECODES RANUNCULI Robt.
1897 Sphecodes ranunculi Robt. $ 3, Trans. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, 7: 318. 1903 Proteraner ranunculi Robt. Q ri\ Ent. 14: 105.



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PSYCHE
[October
SPHECODES VEGANUS Ckll.
1904 Sphecodes veganus Ckll. Q , Ent. 37: 5. SPHECODES WASHINGTON! Ckll.
1904 Sphecodes washingtoni Ckll. $2, Can. Ent. 36: 231. SPHECODES ASPERICOLLIS Sichel.
1865 Sphecodes aspericollis Sichel, Q 3, Ann. soc. ent. Fr. 5: 457 SPHECODES BASALIS Sichel.
1865 Sphecodes basalis Sichel, 3 (var.), Ann. soc. ent. Fr. 5: 460. SPHECODES METANOTIAEUS Sichel.
1865 Sphecodes metanotiaeus Sichel, 8, Ann. soc. ent. Fr. 5: 460. SPHECODES METATHORACICUS Sichel.
1865 Sphecodes metathoracicus Sichel, 3, Ann. soc. ent. Fr. 5 : 456. SPHECODES PILOSULUS Smith.
1879 Sphecodes pilosulus Sm. Q 3, Des. New. Sp. Hym. p. 28. SPHECODES PUNCTICOLLIS Sichel.
1865 Sphecodes puncticollis Sichel, $2, Ann. soc. ent. Fr. 5: 459.