The Hunting Wasps 



the other Digger-wasps are stocked before- 

 hand and the Miltogramma drops her eggs 

 on the pieces of game as they are taken in. 

 When the Wasp has finished her catering and 

 laid her egg, she .closes the cell, where hence- 

 forth the lawful larva and the alien larvae 

 hatch and live together without ever being 

 visited in their solitude. The mother there- 

 fore is not aware of the parasites' brigand- 

 age, which remains unpunished because It is 

 unknown. 



With the Bembex, it is quite another mat- 

 ter. The mother is constantly returning in- 

 doors during the fortnight which It takes to 

 rear her grubs; she knows that her offspring 

 is living in the company of a number of in- 

 truders, who appropriate the best part of the 

 food; each time that she brings provisions 

 to her larva, she touches and feels at the 

 bottom of the cavity those hungry guests 

 who, far from contenting themselves with 

 the remnants, seize upon the pick of the 

 victuals; she must perceive, however limited 

 her arithmetical faculties, that twelve are 

 more than one; besides, the consumption of 

 food, which Is out of all proportion to her 

 hunting-powers, would tell her; and yet, In- 

 stead of taking those presumptuous aliens by 

 314 



