202 KANSAS UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



in, and at the same time directing a load of sand inside. Now 

 and then she interrupted her labors by flying to an adjoining 

 weed and resting thereon for a very short time. When her 

 work had the appearance of being nearly done she was cap- 

 tured and the nest dug out. The latter was about one and 

 four-fifths inches long and one and two-thirds inches deep, 

 and the rather enlarged terminus contained six young locusts, 

 which exhibited signs of life by a very slight movement of 

 their legs and antennse. No egg was found, though it may well 

 have been lost when I dug out the tunnel. 



This small insect, with its quick flight and jerky motions, is 

 quite difficult to follow, and flies to and from her nest in a 

 manner that defies pursuit. 



Tachysphex p'>'opinquus Viereck. (Fig. 112, wasp and prey.) 



In the hot sandy country which borders the Cimarron river, 

 in southwestern Kansas, this striking species was frequently 

 observed digging her shallow burrow with nervous haste or 

 running over the ground with wonderful agility in search of 

 her prey. 



The following notes, taken in Grant county at the end of 

 July, 1911, should serve to illustrate the wasp's habits to a 

 good extent. On July 26 at 10 :41 A. M. I saw a little Tachy- 

 sphex running over the sand. Coming upon a mature Alpha 

 crenulata (Tryxalinse) she pounced upon it and subdued it 

 with a sting. At this juncture a small lizard spied the wasp 

 dragging her booty, and hurried toward the pair. The reptile 

 I frightened away, and likewise the Tachysphex, which never 

 returned to her prey. Another wasp, however, was found 

 near by, hunting. This was at 10:55 a.m. After a brief 

 search, during which she ran and flew a shoit distance and 

 explored the patches of short grass with due diligence, she 

 captured and stung to helple.ssness an Alpha,the latter hopping 

 manfully during the struggle. Then propinquus went off to 

 one side, where she brushed and cleansed herself and rested 

 for a short time. Then she placed herself astride her prey 

 (which lay on its back), seized it by the base of the antennse, 

 carried it a short distance, to let go her hold to malaxate (?) 

 her victim, remaining quietly over the latter with her man- 

 dibles opened to their full extent and appressed to the Alpha's 

 neck, or head, the attitude suggesting that the wasp might be 

 engaged in lapping up a fluid. She soon resumed her journey. 



