The Cockroach- Wasp. 



28^ 



^ 



suffused with olive, with a series of ring-hke marks with a central s})()t, which miuht 

 be the points of fungus attacks on the dead leaf. 



The Cockroach-Wasp. 



We have so denominated this Insect^ not because it has any resemblance to 

 a cockroach, but because the latter 

 Insect is preyed upon by the wasp 

 who makes cockroach-hunting the 

 business of its winged life. This 

 wasp is related to the sand-wasps 

 and the mud-daubers but does not 

 appear to do any burrowing, con- 

 tenting itself with the utilization 

 of any hole — even a key-hole — 

 that may be handy to the scene 

 of its capture. It is only from 

 three-quarters to an inch in the 

 length of its body, but owing to 

 its long antenna? and long legs 

 it appears to be much larger than 

 this measurement indicates. Its 

 fore-body is continued forward 

 considerably in advance of the 

 wings, and it seems thus to have 

 a stout, tapering neck. The hind- 

 body is connected to the fore- 

 body by a slender stalk as in the 

 mud-daubers, but the stalk is much 

 shorter. Although something was 

 known of this wasp and its choice 

 of food in Reaumur's day, little 

 of its life-history is known even 

 now, and further observations 

 are desirable. It has been 

 found in the East Indies and 

 in the Isle of France, and 

 other species have been found 

 in West Africa, whilst one 

 closely allied occurs, though 

 rarely, in Europe. 



Owing to the fondness that the pestiferous species of cockroach show for 

 a domestic life, it is not surprising to hnd that the cockroach-wasps come indoors 

 after their prey. The original observation of the species by Cossigni tells how 

 wasp and cockroach eve each other for an instant ; then the wasp darts upon the 

 cockroach, " seizes it by th(> muzzle with its strong jaws, and bending its hind-body 



' Aiiipulcx comjiressa. 



Photo by] 



Indian Orange-tip Butterfly. 



[H. Baslin. 



A rolation of our familiar little orange-tip, but vastlv superior to it in size, 

 lueaiuring four inches across the expanded wings. These are white on the 

 upper side, with an orange tip to the fore-wings. Beneath, the wings are 

 yellowish-grey with dusky niottlings; so that when the Insect is at rest, 

 as sliown, it appears to be a withered leaf. 



