INSECTS AT WORK AND PLAY. 



141 



Impregnated females hibernate during the 

 winter months, and it is interesting to note that 

 during this period of quiescence they hold firmly 

 on to something with their mandibles, and depress 

 the wings until their tips lie under, instead of 

 over, the end of the abdomen. 



On the last day of January, 1901, I found a 

 torpid wasp inside my stuffed ox standing in 

 the garden, and placing it in a matchbox, took 

 it indoors in order to note its behaviour in relation 

 to tempera- 

 ture . In a 

 fireless room, 

 with the ther- 

 mometer reg- 

 istering 43° 

 Fahr.. there 



was no sign 

 whatever of 

 life in the 

 creature. 

 When taken 

 into a heated 

 room, there 

 was no move- 

 ment shown 

 until 54° had 

 been reached, 

 a t w h i c h 



PROCESSIONAL CATERPILLARS 

 ON HAZEL LEAF. 



