180. LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



up several of the wasp burrows, and in every case 

 a single caterpillar only was found in the cell at 

 the extremity of each burrow. To each caterpillar 

 was attached a small wasp larva, the head only of 

 which was inserted through the epidermis of the 

 caterpillar, which was apparently dead, except for 

 a slight twitching movement of the posterior ex- 

 tremity of the body." 



The genus Sphex stores crickets and grasshoppers, 

 etc. Bcmhex stores flies in a hole in the ground. 

 There is usually a tunnel leading obliquely into a 

 widened cavity at the inner end. The species Exei- 

 rus lateritius is very much like a pompilid wasp in 

 general appearance. It is a large yellow and black 

 wasp. It attacks cicadas, and after paralys- 



ing one by stinging it, the wasp drags it 

 to its hole, usually straddling it. The hole is made 

 in the sand, ready to receive the victim. An e^gg 

 is laid on the ventral side of the cicada. The young 

 wasp larva hatches out and feeds on the juices of 

 its host by piercing a softer part of the integu- 

 ment. 



We watched one of these wasps carrying a quite 

 paralysed cicada to its hole which was made on a 

 piece of fiat, sandy land at the base of a gully. It 

 was dragging the victim along on its back, strad- 

 dling it. 



Near the hole was a fairly large stone. We re- 

 moved it to see if its removal would confuse the 

 wasp. It did so, for it seemed quite worried, and 

 fiew round and round in a much more excited way 

 than its ordinary method of approaching the hole. 



