CHAPTER XL 



WASPS. 



I HAVE also made a few experiments with wasps. 



So far as their behaviom-, when they have discovered 

 a store of food, is concerned, what has been said with 

 reference to bees would apply in the main to wasps also. 

 I will give some of the details in the Appendix, and 

 here only refer very briefly to some of the experiments. 



Experiment 1 . — Watched a wasp, which I had accus- 

 tomed to come to my room for honey, from 9.36 a.m. to 

 6.25 P.M. She made forty-five visits to the honey, but 

 did not bring a single comrade. 



Experiment 2. — The following day this wasp began 

 working — at least, came to my room for the first time at 

 6.55 A.M., and went on passing backwards and forwards 

 most industriously till 6.17 p.m. She made thirty-eight 

 journeys, and did not bring a single friend. 



Experiment 3. — Another wasp was watched from 

 6.16 A.M. till 6 P.M. She made fifty-one journeys, and 

 during the day five other wasps came to the honey. ] 

 do not think she brought them. 



Experiment 4. — Another wasp was watched from 

 10 A.M. to 5.15 P.M.; she made twenty-eight journeys, 



