BELONOGASTER WASPS 285 



while others go out hunting for the smooth caterpillars 

 wherewith to feed them. 



A wasp having found a caterpillar pounces on it and 

 stings it, and at once begins to pulp it with its large 

 mandibles, beginning at one end and passing systemati- 

 cally along the whole body. Finally, the mangled remains 

 are rolled up into a pellet about the size of a pea, with 

 which the successful hunter flies back to the nest. In 

 one case that was observed two wasps were on the nest 

 when the hunter (A) returned with a mashed-up insect 

 in her mandibles. This she gave to B, who appeared to 

 mince it up further and then shared it with C, each 

 going to one of the larger larvae in the cells and holding 

 the mass to its mouth. The larvae could be seen eating 

 it. A afterwards went round and fed the larvae with 

 fluid regurgitated : this process was accompanied by a 

 kind of violent shuddering motion. I could see the 

 drop of fluid appearing between the wasp's mandibles, 

 to be slowly sucked up by the larva. 



Caterpillars are not the only prey of Belonogaster, 

 for one frequently sees them capturing and pulping 

 small brown Acraea butterflies, which is of interest 

 when considering the enemies of protected insects. The 

 Belonogaster itself may be considered a typical pro- 

 tected insect, but I have found it in the stomach of a 

 Bee-eater {Merops superciliosus). This subject is discussed 

 elsewhere. 



Belonogaster has all the characteristics of a protected 

 species, and serves as a model for a most interesting 

 Neuropterous insect, Mantispa, which has been elsewhere 

 described. 



Although it is not considered too formidable by the 

 Bee-eater, which seems to be specially adapted to feed 

 on stinging insects, there are probably few other birds, 

 and certainly no mammals, that would dare to catch 

 it, so that its enemies must be mainly other insects. 



