THE ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS 



81 



in the hard, sun-baked earth, often choosing a place be- 

 neath the protection of the leaf of some plant. These holes 

 they provision with caterpillars, which they sting in several 

 places till they are paralyzed. In the process of provisioning 

 the nest some species close the opening with a pellet of 

 earth or with small stones, which they remove when they 





Fig. 55. Digger wasp using pebble. (Enlarged) 1 



return with a new caterpillar. Dr. and Mrs. Peckham, who 

 have studied these insects very carefully, say that this is, 

 however, not an invariable habit, some individuals leaving 

 the nest open while searching for more caterpillars. These 

 authors have this to say of the habits of one of these insects : 



Just here must be told the story of one little wasp whose in- 

 dividuality stands out in our minds more distinctly than that of 

 any of the others. We remember her as the most fastidious and 

 perfect little worker of the whole season, so nice was she in her 

 adaptation of means to ends, so busy and contented in her labor 



1 From Peckham's Solitary Wasps. 



