WASPS. 201 



P But the most interesting part of this nest was, 

 that not only did the adult wasps hatch out from 

 the larvae fed partly by artificial means, but from 

 two of the eggs tiny wasp maggots hatched out, 

 and were fed on Benger's food, and flourished; they 

 increased in size, pupated and completed the whole 

 life history, taking in one case, 49 days, in the other 

 54 days, thus proving that wasps can be artificially 

 fed and reared from the egg. 



Further observations were made of a much larger 

 nest, one measuring 8 inches across. We fixed this 

 nest up in a circular sweet-jar of clear glass, with 

 diameter of about 6 inches. The nest had to be cut 

 in halves: one half was placed on floor of the jar, 

 with mouth upwards, and the other we placed in its 

 natural down-turned position, suspended from the 

 top of the jar by means of picture wire which was 

 wound round the jar, and the nest was tied on to 

 it. We fed this large family for some days, and 

 the feeding took from i^ hours to 2 hours. At last 

 some adults emerged from the pupal chambers, 

 which were there when the nest was obtained. We 

 then placed mosquito net on the top of the jar to 

 keep the workers in. Slices of pear were placed 

 in the jar, and the adults eagerly partook of them, 

 and at once began to feed the larvae. Adults kept 

 hatching out daily till 20 workers were in the jar. 

 Now a curious thing happened. They began to 



[ attack the larvae in the nest on the floor of the 

 jar, and kill them, dragging them out of the cells, 

 and in some cases devouring them, and probably 

 using them to feed the more fortunate larvae in 



