isely: eumenid^ of Kansas. 265 



move their abdominal segments when irritated, while others 

 could make their way out of the cell after it had been opened. 

 One caterpillar that I had seen captured in the field was ap- 

 parently dead or totally paralyzed. This was the only excep- 

 tion. It has since occurred to me that this state may have 

 been only temporary. 0. papagorum may totally paralyze 

 caterpillars when she captures them, thus making them more 

 easily managed during the storing process. After it is stored 

 the caterpillar may partially recover from the paralysis. 



Most of the cells freshly stored were packed with a tangled 

 mass of caterpillars. Usually there was no vacant space in 

 the cell. 



On removing the mass of caterpillars from the cell I often 

 found the egg suspended from the roof of the cell by a white 

 thread. It was not suspended above the caterpillars. As far 

 as I observed, it was always in the part of the cell farthest 

 from the entrance to the burrow. Sometimes it was attached 

 to the roof at the lower end of the burrow, so that the egg was 

 nearly in the bottom of the cell. In spite of the thread attach- 

 ment, in most cells the caterpillars must have been fairly piled 

 upon the egg. 



Oviposition may take place before any caterpillars, or after 

 only a few, are stored. The usual position of the egg would 

 indicate that it was deposited at least before many caterpillars 

 were stored. I did not open a single empty cell in which I found 

 an egg. However, I did find eggs suspended in only partially 

 stored cells; in one case the cell had but two caterpillars. 



The length of time required to make and store a nest depends 

 chiefly upon the number of its cells, and upon the weather. 

 In cold, damp weather the wasps are vei-y sluggish and work 

 but little. Wind also has a discouraging effect upon work. 

 On hot, sunny days they were most active. I noted one three- 

 celled nest that was finished in two days. On the other hand, 

 I opened larger nests which contained larvae and pupae of ages 

 that must have been at least ten days or two weeks apart. The 

 length of time required for nest-building also depends to a 

 certain extent upon the individual wasp, as some are much 

 faster workers than others. It is also difficult to make an 

 estimate of the length of time required to store a cell, as I 

 have found wasps with as many as three cells open at one time 

 ?nd storing caterpillars in all of them. 



