WASPS. 193 



the cell and guards her offspring. When the larva 

 i? full grown she closes up the cell and begins an- 

 other one adjoining the latest formed. 



B. — Family Vespidae. 



(Plate 24.) 



These wasps can be distinguished from the other 

 groups of true wasps by habit and by the presence 

 of two tibial claws on the middle legs, and by the 

 simple claws of the foot. (Plate 23, Figs. 6 and 8). 

 These wasps are usually of a duller colour than 

 most wasps. They are predaceous and feed their 

 young on masticated spiders, etc. The adults feed 

 on nectar of flowers, on juices of fruits when bruised 

 by birds. There is an angular pronotum (Plate 

 24, Fig. 6 a). The genus Vespa or "yellow jacket," 

 or hornet is absent as far as is known in Aus- 

 tralia. These wasps build paper nests, but the cells 

 are usually enclosed in a papery envelope so that 

 the cells are hidden. We have in Australia, the 

 paper nest wasps of the genera Polistcs and 

 Icaria- 



Polistcs makes a nest on the branches of trees, 

 on ledges of verandahs and window sills. Some 

 species make papery nests under logs and these are 

 usually not stalked. 



The genus Icaria is another Australian Vespid 

 which differs from Polistcs in having: a lonsr narrow 

 linear nest, the base of it of several cells in depth, 

 and the outer end tapering to a one-celled row. 

 The wasp is smaller also than Polistcs, with a more 

 noticeable petiole. 



