WASPS, SOCIAL AND SOLITARY 



instance, had difficulty in reaching the fly, falling over 

 to one side in an awkward manner. It is probable, then, 

 that this is a habit with the wasp, but that the sting is 

 usually given at the place of capture. 



We opened a number of Bembex nests, but succeeded 

 in raising only one larva, which we took when it was half 

 grown. This one, during the five days that passed before 

 it spun the cocoon, ate forty-three flies. 



Mr. Bates has some notes on Monedula signata, which 

 takes nothing but flies, and even confines itself to a single 

 species, although it must sometimes go half a mile away 



BEMBEX 



to find it. This reminds us of Pompilus quinquenotatus, 

 which never takes anything but Epeira strix. 



A considerable contribution to our knowledge of the 

 genus Bembex has been made in the paper by Wesen- 



136 



