The Mason-Wasps 



side. Once more, I remark, it is not a good 

 thing to enter the Wasps' nest, even by acci- 

 dent and without any bad intention. 



Here are a few more examples of the 

 savage welcome given to strangers. I do 

 not select my victims; I use them as they 

 happen to come. A rose-tree outside my 

 door supplies me with Hylotoma-larvs,* 

 larvae shaped like caterpillars. I place one 

 in the midst of the Wasps, who are busy with 

 their cells. Great surprise on the part of 

 the workers confronted by this sort of green 

 dragon, spotted with black! They come 

 near; they withdraw; they again come near. 

 One snaps at it boldly, inflicting a bleeding 

 wound. Others follow her example, bite 

 and endeavour to haul away the wounded 

 creature. The dragon resists, holding now 

 by its fore-legs and now by its hind-legs. 

 The burden is not too heavy, but the insect 

 struggles indefatigably, anchored by its 

 hooks. However, after numerous attempts, 

 the grub, enfeebled by its wounds, is torn 

 from the comb and dragged, all bleeding, to 

 the refuse-pit. It has taken a couple of 

 hours to dislodge it. 



With the Hylotoma-larva the Wasps did 



1 Hylotoma rosa, the Saw-fly of the Rose. Cf. Chapter 

 XII. of the present volume. — Translator's Note. 

 280 



