1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 61 



had been made to close the cell. Evidently the wasp had been 

 unable to provision this last cell and was in the act of closing it 

 when she met her death. 



The tube utilized by the other wasp of this species (No. 21) 

 had an inside diameter of 6 mm. The nest had three cells, the 

 basal partition of the first having been built about 5 mm. from the 

 plug of cotton which stopped the inner end of the tube. Cell 

 No. 1, 30. mm. long, had 13 caterpillars, cell No. 2, 28 mm. long, 

 had seven and cell No. 3, 13 mm. long, contained eight. All were 

 provided with eggs suspended in the usual manner. The entrance 

 to the nest had no closing plug, the outer wall of the third cell 

 being about 12 mm. from the entrance and the space beyond it 

 was entirely vacant. 



Only one wasp from these nests reached maturity, a female. 

 The duration of the stages in her life was as follows; egg, 3 days; 

 larva, 16 days; pupa, 13 days. The larva became inactive about 

 six days after hatching and spun no cocoon. The imago lived 

 thirty-five days. 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



Other nests built by undetermined species of Ancistrocerus 

 were observed during the summer, but with most, because of 

 parasites or other unfavorable conditions, the data obtained are 

 too fragmentary to be of further use than to substantiate the 

 findings on the species treated in more detail. In general the 

 observations on these nests are consistent with what has already 

 been recorded. 



• Nests started later in the summer (four in number, built 

 Aug. 8, 16, 17, and 22) have a somewhat different history. 

 Instead of pupating a few days after spinning, individuals from 

 these nests still remain as larvae during the winter and will 

 probably not complete their development until the following 

 June. 



Not a few nesting places presented evidence of nests having 

 been started by wasps and abandoned in an incipient stage. In 

 some basal partitions were made, never to be utilized. In two 



