The Mud-Daubers. 



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operations that may be in progress, the wasp flies in and out between its 

 nest and the outdoor source of the clay or mud it needs for its building. In 

 most species of this genus the large cells arc formed one against another, 

 in number varying from ten to lifty, and the whole are consolidated into one 

 mass by plastering further mud or clay into the intervening spaces and 

 rounding the composite structure off. The wasp stores the cells with small 

 spiders, and appears to kill these outright by its sting. When the first 

 of the series is dropped into the cell, an egg is laid on it, so that the wasp- 

 grub begins to feed on the least fresh of its food, and has to consume the whole 







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Photo by] 



Yei-low-Footed Mud-Da I' be k. 



[E. Step, F.L.S. 



A life-size representation of the wasp and its mass of cells, which looks as though a liberal handful of mud had been thrown against 

 a wall. As a matter of fact the whole daub was carried in minute portions in the jaws of the industrious wasp. 



series of spiders before decomposition begins, though one would suppose this would 

 not take long in a fireplace. On an average this species allows eight spiders to each 

 grub, and these are consumed in about ten days. 



vSome of these mud-daubers have learned to disguise their carefully-constructed 

 nests. Thus an Indian species ^ that comes into houses and decorates walls and 

 furniture with its nests, appears to be desirous of meriting the name of mud-dauber, 

 for after the nest is completed as a comfortable habitation for the grubs, she some- 

 times gives a few artistic touches in the shape of radiating streaks of mud, which 

 make it look as though a handful had been thrown against the wall and had splashed. 

 There are onlv from four to six cells in this nest, and each cill as a rule contains 

 a score of spiders. In a similar fa>lii()n. an Australian species - adds to the finished 

 nest a few diagonal streaks of mud, which makes the whole affair look like a piece 

 of acacia-bark. Although a piece of bark looks out of place in a house, it may be 

 1 S. madraspatanus. ^ S. laetus. 



