isely: eumenid^ of Kansas. 237- 



have also added brief summaries of some of the literature 

 available on the biology of the Eumenidfe. 



In my study my purpose was only to study and record ac- 

 curately the activities of these wasps. While the study of in- 

 stinct is fascinating, it has not been my aim to accumulate evi- 

 dence that would have a bearing on the theories of insect in- 

 stinct and intelligence. Some data, however, relating to these 

 theories have been collected, but their collection has been in- 

 cidental and often accidental — it was a by-product of the work. 



Systematic Position and Distribution. 



The family Eumenidae is placed by systematists with the so- 

 cial Vespidje and the parasitic Masaridse in the superfamily 

 Vespoidea. Members of this superfamily can readily be dis- 

 tinguished from the fossorial wasps by the anterior wings, 

 which are folded in plaits when at rest. Because of the club- 

 shaped antennae, the family Masaridje is set apart from the 

 other two families, which have more or less filiform antennae. 

 A single spur on the middle tibia, instead of two spurs, and 

 unidentate tarsal claws, are the chief morphological differences 

 between the Eumenidae and the Vespidaj. These differences 

 are not considered by all to be of sufficient importance to be 

 used in the division of families. Sharp says : "We anticipate 

 that the Eumenidae and the Vespidse will ultimately be found 

 to constitute one family." De Saussure did not consider the 

 morphological differences of sufficient importance to make even 

 two distinct tribes of the solitary wasps and the social wasps ; 

 he divided them because of the difference in habits. 



In habits there is little likelihood of confusing these allied 

 families. The social wasps, like the social bees, have three 

 castes — queens, drones, and workers. The brood cells in the 

 nests of the community are built in combs. The solitary wasps 

 have only two forms, and all the work is done by fully devel- 

 oped females. There is no division of labor, for each wasp 

 builds its own nest. Both groups are predacious, but, accord- 

 ing to De Saussure, the solitary wasps are the more so. 



The Eumenidse, according to Sharp, are distributed widely 

 over the world in temperate and tropical regions. Representa- 

 tives of the genus Odynerus are found even on the isolated 

 Hawaiian Islands. About eight hundred species have been 

 described. 



