210 kansas university science bulletin. 



Summary. 



The Larridse are very active insects ; on the whole, more 

 partial to sandy situations than to those having rich heavy 

 soil. They are therefore more abundant in western than in 

 eastern Kansas. 



The males are frequently seen on flowers or basking in 

 the sun. They were only observed to work when excavating 

 short tunnels, in which they probably passed the night. 



The prey of the larger wasps (Larrinje) consists of orthop- 

 terous insects, of which more than one genus, or even sub- 

 family, may serve as food for a single species. The prey of 

 the smaller ones, having three perfect ocelli, seems to consist 

 for the most part of hemipterous insects, although some use 

 Orthoptera and a few Arachnida (spiders). 



The Larridse hunt on the wing or afoot, and may drag or 

 even fly with their prey. The latter is frequently far larger 

 than the wasp, and is subdued by a sting under the thorax. 



The nests are almost always terrestrial, consisting in certain 

 genera of one cell, in others of several, to many cells; they 

 may therefore require from an hour or two to several days 

 for their construction and provisioning. They are usually left 

 open when the wasp is afield. 



The egg of the wasp, with the exception of Miscophus, is 

 placed transversely across the prosternum of the prey — a sit- 

 uation where it is unlikely to be injured. 



The Larridfe suffer heavily from the attacks of small 

 Tachinid^, which follow the female to her nest and viviposit 

 on or near the food intended for the young wasp. 



Most frequently the insects nest in small, loose colonies. 

 When nesting they are not usually timid, and can be studied 

 from a very short distance. 



The writer has found nothing in the habits of those or other 

 Hymenoptera, however wonderful they may appear, that can 

 be attributed to intelligence. 



