CH. VI.] THE SOLITARY WASP. 109 



like the other species of wasps. It may be remarked 

 that the cells of all the wasps we have described are 

 not perfectly hexagonal, being wider at their orifice 

 than at their base. 



If the wasps which live in society may dispute 

 with the hive bee in genius, address, in the patient 

 endurance of labour, and in tenderness to rear their 

 young, those which lead a solitary life yield in 

 nothing deserving of admiration to bees of ana- 

 logous habits. 



The solitary wasps, like the social ones, feed on 

 fruits or flesh, and are for the most part what may 

 be emphatically termed insects of prey. 



There is a little creature called Vespa muraria 

 by Linnaeus, which builds a curious nest for its 

 young, and supplies them in a very singular man- 

 ner with living food; it is about the size of a com- 

 mon worker-wasp. 



Towards the end of May, and during the whole 

 of the month of June, it is busily employed in 

 building cells. Its whole object is to form a cir- 

 cular hole a few inches deep, and in diameter not 

 much exceeding that of its own body. In this 

 cavity only a single egg is deposited; several of 

 these cells are of course necessary for the pur- 

 poses of the same female. 



The spot chosen by this mason-wasp is usually a 

 wall or some sandy place ; sometimes, however, the 

 cell is dug in the earth. 



On a particular occasion, Reaumur had con- 

 structed a set of boxes, which he had filled with 

 sand for the purpose of observing at leisure the 

 manners of the formica leo, or ant-lion ; in one of 

 these the sand had become quite hard, so that, 

 although he made every possible allowance for the 

 excellent teeth of the little wasp, yet he thought 

 that to gnaw into that which was as hard as a com- 

 mon stone, was an undertaking which exceeded its 

 power. He observed, however, that the little crea- 

 I.— K 



