The Nest-building Odynerus 



and begins slowly, with great bites of the 

 mandibles, to munch the last three seg- 

 ments, on the dorsal surface. A manifest 

 gluttony accompanies these bites; all the 

 mouth-parts are brought into play, as 

 though the insect were feasting on some ex- 

 quisite dish. Meanwhile the grub, bitten to 

 the quick, desperately works its short legs, 

 whose activity is not at all diminished by the 

 stings administered behind; it struggles vio- 

 lently, protesting with its head and man- 

 dibles. The other takes no notice and con- 

 tinues gnawing at the larva's rump. This 

 lasts for ten or fifteen minutes; then the 

 bandit releases the sufferer and leaves it 

 where it lies, without troubling about it any 

 further, instead of carrying it with her as she 

 would not fail to carry game intended for 

 the nest. Soon afterwards, the Odynerus 

 begins to lick her fingers, as though she had 

 been consuming some toothsome dainty: time 

 after time she passes her tarsi between her 

 mandibles; she is washing her hands after 

 rising from table. What has she been eat- 

 ing? I must once more watch the epicure 

 squeeze the juice from the rump. 



Ever obliging, provided that I practise a 

 little patience, my six captives, one after the 

 other, operate on the Chrysomela-larvse, at 

 213 



