AN ISLAND SETTLEMENT. 59- 



nest. Bembex, however, differs from these genera and from 

 almost all of the solitary wasps in her habit of feeding her young 

 from day to day, or rath.er from hour to hour, as long as it re- 

 mains in the larval state. This difference in her maternal cares 

 as compared with those of other species results in a less numer- 

 ous progeny. The larva, for a period of two weeks, demands 

 constant attention from the mother, so that a second egg cannot 

 be laid until the first-born has gone into its cocoon, unless, in- 

 deed, she feeds two lars^se at once, which does not seem prob- 

 able. The season of work is ten or twelve weeks so that Wesen- 

 berg is probably correct in allowing only five or six young ones 

 to each mother for the summer.* 



In watching our wasps Ave found that the new nests w^ere 

 usually made in the out-skirts of the colony which was thus 

 continually extending its limits. Like many other species Bemr- 

 1)CX has great difliculty in deciding just where to dig. Our 

 Spliex made three beginnings before finally settling down. 

 The only AmmopJiila that we watched from the beginning 

 changed her place after working for ten minutes. P. quinque- 

 notatiis often tried half a dozen places before she was satisfied^ 

 and spinolae is quite as difficult to please. 



When, at last, the right place is found, the labor of excavation 

 is carried on vigorously. The mandibles are used for loosening 

 the earth and for lifting, but the greater part of the work is 

 done with the first pair of legs, the tarsi of which are doubled 

 up while the dirt is swept out with the brush of stiff spiny hairs 

 on the second joint. This attitude gives them a very comical 

 aspect, making them look as if they were sweeping with their 

 elbows. They sometimes lie far over to one side while loosen- 

 ing the earth with their mandibles. While digging, the body 

 is held high by the straightening of the third pair of legs and 

 the dirt comes out behind in a rapid stream, flying to a distance 

 of three or four inches. Before long the wasp is lest to sight 

 but every few moments she comes backing out, pusliing behind 

 her the dirt that she has displaced below. In about fifteen 



^Copenhagen Entomologiske Meddelelser, vol. iii., 1891. 



