The Hunting Wasps 



cocoons during the previous three months. 

 The general rule is for the Digger to become 

 a perfect insect, to quit her subterranean 

 dwelling and to busy herself with her larvse 

 all in one season. Most of the Predatory 

 Wasps leave the galleries where they lived 

 as larvae In the months of June and July and 

 display their talents as miners and hunters in 

 the following months of August, September 

 and October. 



Does a similar law apply to the Hairy Am- 

 mophlla? Does the same season witness the 

 insect's final transformation and Its labours? 

 It is very doubtful, for the Wasp occupied on 

 the work of the burrow at the end of March 

 would In that case have to complete her 

 metamorphosis and to break out of her 

 cocoon during the winter, or at latest in Feb- 

 ruary. The seve»rlty of the climate at this 

 period does not allow us to accept such a 

 conclusion. It Is not at a time when the 

 bleak mistral howls for a fortnight without 

 intermission and freezes the ground hard, it 

 is not at a time when snow-storms follow 

 close upon that Icy blast that the delicate 

 transformations of the nymphosis are able to 

 take place or the Insect to dream of abandon- 

 ing the shelter of Its cocoon. It needs the 

 236 



