iv] DIPLOPTERA 47 



below. As soon as each cell is outlined and provided 

 with a low inverted hexagonal parapet, an egg is 

 placed in it by the "queen" and fixed by a cement 

 in the angle nearest to the centre of the comb. 

 Meanwhile, in order to protect the comb from the 

 drip of rain percolating through the soil nothing is 

 more fatal to wasp communities than heavy drenching 

 rain in early summer and to conserve such warmth 

 as may be generated by her own small body, the 

 "queen" has added first one, then a second and a 

 third umbrella-shaped covering of wasp paper. These 

 wrappings are attached to the foundation (top) and 

 are eventually made into balloon-shaped envelopes 

 completely concealing the comb, and leaving open 

 only one small entrance at the bottom. The whole 

 nest at this stage has a diameter of about one or one 

 and a half inches : the "paper" made by the "queen" 

 is of very fine texture and can at once be distinguished 

 by its superior quality from that made later by the 

 "workers." 



In about a week, the exact length of time depend- 

 ing upon the temperature, a legless grub emerges from 

 the egg. To avoid falling headlong out of the down- 

 turned cell the little creature retains a few of the 

 hinder segments of the body within the remains 

 of the egg-shell which is still glued to the cell- 

 wall. The grubs possess jaws and are fed by their 

 mother chiefly on the juices of animal food, such as 



