146 THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT 



under glass. And it was well that I did so, for my success 

 was in the inverse ratio to my expectations. Never did 

 beast of prey show greater zeal in attacking under artificial 

 conditions. Every insect experimented upon rewarded 

 me, sooner or later, for my patience. Let us watch Scolia 

 Bifasciata at work, operating on her Cetonia grub. 



The captive grub tries to escape its terrible neighbour. 

 Turned over on its back according to its custom, it shuffles 

 along eagerly, going round and round the glass arena. 

 Soon, the Scolia's attention is aroused and is evinced by 

 continual little taps of the tips of its antennae upon the 

 table, which now represents the customary soil. The 

 Hymenopteron falls upon her prey and attacks the mon- 

 strous meal by the hinder end. She climbs upon the 

 Cetonia, using the abdominal extremity as a lever. The 

 assaulted grub does nothing but scud all the faster on 

 its back, without rolling itself into a defensive posture. 

 The Scolia reaches the front part, after falls and accidents 

 that vary greatly, according to the degree of tolerance 

 of the grub, her temporary mount. With her mandibles, 

 she nips a point on the upper surface of the thorax ; she 

 places herself across the grub, curves herself into an arch 

 and tries to touch with the point of her belly the region 

 where the sting is to be darted. The arch is a little too 

 short to embrace almost the whole circuit of the corpulent 

 prey, for which reason the efforts and attempts are made 

 over and over again, at great length. The tip of the 

 abdomen makes untold exertions, applies itseK here, 

 there and elsewhere and, as yet, stops nowhere. This 

 tenacious searching in itself proves the importance which 

 the paralyzer attaches to the spot at which its bistoury 

 is to enter. 



Meanwhile, the grub continues to move along on its 



