Found occasionally near London, and in other parts of England, first appearing pretty early in the spring. It is said to fly for the most part near the earth.
APATHUS RUPESTRIS.
Plate XVIII, Fig. 3.
The resemblance of this false humble-bee to B. lapidarius is so great, that it is not surprising they have been frequently confounded. The present species measures fully an inch in length, so that it must be regarded as the largest of our indigenous bees. The body is entirely black, the three last segments of the abdomen clothed with yellowish-red hairs. The head and thorax are very hirsute, the abdomen likewise very hirsute on the sides, but more sparingly clothed on the back; shape of the abdomen ovate-oblong; legs black and hairy; wings ample, longer than the body, the colour smoke brown, approaching to black, and the substance intermediate between corium and membrane.
Frequent in the vicinity of London, and also in many other parts of England, but seemingly not generally distributed. We have noticed it in Scotland, but only on one or two occasions.
