402 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Nov., '13 



larva had devoured one whole spider and half of the other and 

 was now enclosed in its cocoon. 



This simple experiment shows that this larva reached the 

 limit of its capacity at two and-one-half additional spiders. 

 This overfeeding was not injurious to the insect, because later 

 it transformed into a normal adult. 



The same experiment was carried on with another individ- 

 ual of the same species, which had eaten all of its food. At 9 

 P. M. on August 6, an additional large spider was introduced 

 and commenced upon immediately, and by 7 the next morning 

 it had entirely disappeared. A second large spider was eaten 

 during the day and a third one was promptly pounced upon 

 when it was introduced into the cell. The next day I found 

 the larva had spun its cocoon, three-fourths of the last spider 

 remaining. So this one was also able to increase its capacity 

 to hold two and one-fourth spiders more than its original sup- 

 ply. It also eventually emerged as a normal adult. 



David Sharp quotes Peckholt, who says, in speaking of this 

 species*: ". . . however great may be the number of 

 insects placed by the mother wasp in the cell, they are all con- 

 sumed by the larva, none ever being found in the cells after 

 the perfect insects escape therefrom." 



That the larvae are greedy is substantiated by our observa- 

 tions, but our experiments demonstrate that there is a limit to 

 their capacity, since both larvae pupated despite the fact that 

 they could have gone on eating as long as I supplied the spi- 

 ders. 



Wasps Which Resented Intruders. 



An Eumenidf nest (one cell) contained five small cater- 

 pillars. During the absence of the mother wasp, three spiders 

 were taken from a Pelopoeus nest and placed in this cell. After 

 two hours the wasp returned two hours in search of a small 

 green caterpillar. After hovering about the nest for a minute 

 and a half she entered, but came out almost immediately, 

 carrying one of the spiders and flew with it out of the window. 



* Cambridge Nat. Hist., Insects, Pt. 2, p. 119. 

 f Probably same species as recorded on p. 396. 



