Ɛpsilon

From Frederick Smith   [c. 10 March 1868?]1

As a general rule you are aware that throughout the Aculeate Hymenoptera the male is much smaller than the female, whenever the reverse occurs it is for a special purpose; as far as my observation has extended, in the following species it is a beautiful adaptation to a singular point in the economy of the insects; Apis mellifera ♂. Anthidium manicatum & Anthophora acervorum amongst the bees, and Methoca ichneumonides amongst the Fossores2—all carry off the females & copulate in the air.

My dear Sir

I have added this but dont know whether it may in any way fall into your investigations

believe me | Yours truly | Fredk Smith

incomplete

1
The date is conjectured from the relationship between this letter and a note by CD, dated 10 March 1868 (DAR 81: 144), which suggests that CD had discussed sexual differences in bees with Smith at the British Museum.
2
Apis mellifera is the honey bee; Anthidium manicatum is the wool-carder bee; Anthophora acervorum is now A. plumipes, the hairy-footed flower bee. Methoca ichneumonides is now Methocha iarticulata; the Fossores is a former group of ground-nesting wasps, whose members are now placed in the families Ampulicidae, Sphecidae, and Crabronidae. In Descent 1: 347, CD cited Smith for this information.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6534,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6534