186 



THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



"We liave tabulated below the results obtained from our study 

 of the forty nests above referred to: 



Table No. 1. — Showing condition of spiders found stored in 40 

 nests— 1-4 days old. 



The table sbows that about tliirty-tbree per cent, of the spi- 

 ders are so skillfully stung that they are only paralyzed, while 

 the remainder are so poorly stung that they are killed. After 

 death they begin to dry up but remain in good condition for at 

 least twelve or fourteen days. As compared with other species 

 of the same genus our wasps excel those of France, which, Fabre 

 has found, almost invariably kill their prey at once, but they 



