276 



IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



At first polistes was much disturbed by my presence and 

 seemed very nervous and moved above restlessly when I was 

 uear. However, the nest was visited so frequently and so 

 many hours spent in observing her movements that she soon 

 manifested little interest in my movements. As soon as she 



Fig. 43. A. Nest as ii appeared \\i ei found. B. Polistes feeding hi i young. 



became accustomed to my presence the cover was turned over, 

 leaving the open end of the cells up to make observation 

 easier. If the wasp flew away the cover always had to he re- 

 placed in its former position before she could find the nest 

 again, although she would continue her normal activities with 

 her house up-side-down. 



The eggs were not placed in the center of the bottom of the 

 cell where the queen bee deposits her eggs, but were attached 

 to the sides of the cells a little above the bottom. When the 

 eggs hatched they remained attached to the cell in the same 

 position. The mother spent much time in feeding the young, 

 giving them such attention very frequently on warm days, 

 and also spent a great deal of time with her own toilet. After 

 i'Yi'vv feeding she would carefully clean first one leg and 

 then another and brush every particle of dust off her body and 

 head. 



Soon after the nest was found the weather turned cool and 

 i' rained. With the temperature at about fifty degrees the 

 mother settled herself quietly above the comb and made no 

 move to feed her young or to continue her building. Even 



