22 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



Masox-Wasps. 

 In September, 1828, a common species of solitary mason- 

 wasp ( Odi/nerus, Late.) was observed by ns (J. K.) on the 

 east wall of a house at Lee, in Kent, ver}" busy in exca- 

 vating a hole in one of the bricks, about five feet from the 

 groiTiKl. Whether there might not have been an accidental 

 hole in the brick, before the wasp commenced her labours, 

 is unknown, as she had made considerable progress in the 

 work when first observed; but the brick was one of the 

 hardest of the yellow sort made in this neighbourhood. 

 The most remarkable circumstance in the process of hewing 

 into the brick was the care of the insect in removing to a 

 distance the fragments which from time to time she suc- 

 ceeded in detaching. It did not appear to suit her design 

 to wear dowii the brick, particle by particle, as the furniture 



Odynerus.—K atura] size. 



beetle (^Anohium pertinax) does in making its pin-hole 

 galleries in old wood. Our wasp-architect, on the contrary, 

 by means of her strong tranchant-iooi\\Q^ jaws, severed a 

 piece usually about the bigness of a mustard-seed. It might 

 have been supposed that these fragments would have been 

 tossed out of the hole as the work proceeded, without 

 further concern ; as the mole tosses above ground the earth 

 which has been cleared out of its subterranean gallery. 

 The wasp was of a different opinion ; for it was possible 

 that a heap of brick chips, at the bottom of the wall, might 

 lead to the discovery of her nest by some of her enemies, 

 particular] 3^ by one or other of the numerous tribe of what 

 are called ichneumoi -flies. This name is given to tliem, from 

 the similarity of their habit of destroying eggs, to that of the 

 little animal which proves so formidable an enemy to the 

 multiplication of the crocodile of Egypt. They ma}^ be also 

 denominated cwcAoo-flies, because, like that bird, they thrust 



