ENTOMOLOGICAL CONrKIBUTIOXS—HACKLH. 109 



into three smaller eells by means of two transverse Malls of clay; each of these 

 smaller eells was occupied by a larva of I'ison aureosericeum enclosed in a yellow 

 semi-transparent skin. They were all lying transversely to the longitudinal axis 

 of the Monerebia cell. 



These seem to be instances of "appropriation." The eells had been left 

 empty for some reason, and had been taken possession of by Pison aureosericeum. 

 but finding them too large for its purpose it had divided each cell into three 

 smaller cells. Two of the Pison larvaj were parasitised by a dipterous insect 

 belonging to the genus Anthrax. These parasites emerged on September 25th, and 

 left their empt.y pupal cases protruding half through the wall of the cells. 



The Monerebia larvaj remained in a dormant or sleeping condition within 

 their cells throughout the winter; most of them changed into pupa' during the last 

 week in September. The pupa is not enclosed in a skin or cocoon, but lies quite 

 nakedly within the cell ; when newly changed it is pale yellow, with the exception 

 of the abbreviated wnngs, which are deep amber. The outline of the future wasp 

 is very distinct; the antenna? lie straight down in front along the outer side of 

 the mandibles; the legs are packed close to the sides; even the segments of the 

 abdomen are quite plain, and can easily be counted. When the pupa is a week old 

 the eyes become dark-brown, the other parts remaining the same coloui' as before. 

 During the third week the black and orange colours of the adult begin to show; 

 tlie black second segment of the abdomen and the mesothorax showing very dis- 

 tinctly. The adult wasps emerged about a month from the time they pupated. 



With regard to the funnel-shaped entrances to the nests made by 

 Momrehia and a number of other Eamenid wasps, I am of opinion that they are 

 con.structed as a precaution against ants and other marauding insects. In one or 

 tv»'o instances which came under my notice they were made quite early in the 

 construction of the nest, and were a.sed for entrance and exit by the female wasp 

 while .storing the newly made cells wdth food. As the cells would necessarily 

 remain open and exposed until they had received their full complement of pro- 

 visions, it can be easily seen what a protection a funnel would be. All the nests 

 found by me were in dark corners and crevices, and the mouths of tlie funnels 

 were in all eases pointing downward. It would be a bold insect that would 

 venture' far up a smooth and slippery funnel in almost total darkness. After the 

 work of provisioning and ovipositing inside the nest is finished, the female wasp 

 closes the hole at the base of the funnel with a plug of clay. The funnel is then 

 of no further use, as it is not needed for the emergence of the young wasps, each 

 of which is.sues from a hole cut through the end of its cell. 



The industry of Monerebia epliippium can be best realised by the fact that 

 this nest weighed eight ounces. In addition to this, and taking fourteen larva; as 

 the average contents of each cell, the wasp must have caught at least 140 larva? of 

 Clania ignobilis to furnish food for its progeny. 



