n 



SOCIAL WASI'S YKSPIDAK 



79 



a 



cjo-e<l. Th'- food supplied is of a v./ried nature according to 

 til-- species, l-'-in-j either ;minjal or vegetable, or both. 



Although the nests of the social wasps are very elaborate con- 

 structions, y:t they n-rve the purposes of the Insects for only a 

 sinide season. This, is '-)-t.;i.iu]y t:be case in our own country. 

 H' I-- e;i<-h nest i.-: e<,ii,]j|i.|jcp<| l.y a single female or queen; she 



irst pei Toi ju- unaided all the duties for the inauguration of 



FIG. 31. Section of the 

 subterranean nest of the 

 common wasp, TV/." 

 gerrnanica, in posit 

 (After Janet.) , One 

 of the chambers of an 

 ant's nest, Losing fiavus, 

 placed above the wasps' 

 nest ; b, root to which 

 the first attachment of 

 the nest was made ; c, 

 secondary attachments ; 

 d, the first-made attach- 

 ment ; e, a flint within 

 the envelopes of the 

 nest ; /,the chief suspen- 

 sory pillar of the second 

 layer of comb ; y, lateral 

 galleries ; h, one of the 

 secondary pillars of 

 suspension between two 

 layers of comb ; i, the 

 layers of wasp - paper 

 forming the envelope of 

 nest ; j, vacant space 

 round the nest ; k. flints 

 that fell to the bottom 

 during the work of ex- 

 cavation ; I, numerous 

 larvae* of any, Pegr/myia 



placed vertically in ground beneath the nest ; m 1 to m 1 , the layers of comb, 

 in in- th': cells are indicated , in m s (above the main figure; the arrangement of the 

 three cells forming the commencement of the new layer of comb, m 7 , is shown ; n, 

 galler irom surface ; o, burrow of a mole ; x>> interval of 90 mm. between top 



of uest and surface ; ^> height of tne nest, 163 mm. 



the '-olouy; she lays the foundation of the cells, deposits the 



_ .- in them, feeds the young, arid thus rears a brood of work 

 that ;it on'-'- ;i-.-ist her, and for the future relieve her of a con- 

 -i'l'-mljle portion of her former occupations; the nest is by them 

 ;nl<l'"l to and increased, till the cold weather of the autumn is at 

 luind: at tliis time many males and females are produced; the 

 cold weather either destroys the inhabitants of the nest, or re- 

 duces their vitality so that it is impossible for them to pursue 

 successfully the avocations necessary for their subsistence, and 



