SOCIAL-WASrS. 65 



gradually narrower towards the middle, and widening at 

 each end, in order, no doubt, to render their hold the 

 stronger. 



The terrace itself is circular, and composed of an immense 

 number of cells, formed of the paper already described, and 

 of almost the same size and form as those of a honeycomb, 

 each being a perfect hexagon, mathematically exact, and 

 every hair's breadth of the space completely filled. These 

 cells, however, are not used as honey-pots by wasps, as 

 they are by bees ; for wasps, certain foreign species excepted, 

 make no honey, and the cells are wholly appropriated to 

 the rearing of their young. Like other hymenopterous 

 insects, the grubs are placed with their heads downwards ; 

 and the openings of the cells are also downwards; while 

 their united bottoms form a nearly uniform level upon 

 which the inhabitants of the nest may walk. We have 

 seen, in describing the economy of the carder-bee, that 

 when a young bee had escaped from its cradle-cell, and so 

 rendered it empty, that cell was subsequently appropriated 

 to the storing of honey. But in the case of wasps, a cell 

 thus evacuated is immediately cleaned out and repaired for 

 the reception of another grub — an egg being laid in it by a 

 female wasp as soon as it is ready. 



When the foundress-wasp has completed a certain number 

 of cells, and deposited eggs in them, she soon intermits her 

 building operations, in order to procure food for the young 

 grubs, which now require all her care. . In a few weeks 

 these become perfect wasps, and lend their assistance in the 

 extension of the edifice ; enlarging the original coping of 

 the foundress by side walls, and forming another platform 

 of cells, suspended to the first by columns, as that had been 

 suspended to the ceiling. 



In this manner several platforms of combs are constructed, 

 the outer walls being extended at the same time ; and, by 

 the end of the summer, there is generally from twelve to 

 fifteen platforms of cells. Each contains about 1000 cells — 

 forty-nine being contained in an inch and a half square, 

 and, of course, making the enormous number of about 

 16,000 cells in one colony. Reaumur, upon these data, 



F 



