34 Some Solitary Wasps of Texas. 



I saw of her. On July 21st, I returned to dig up the nest but failed 

 to trace it. 



The individual whose actions were just described (No. 39) was 

 the least sensitive to my presence of all the wasps I have known. 

 Once I took her up in a bottle, and as soon as released she went on 

 the even tenor of her ways. Other specimens I observed, while not 

 annoyed at my presence, resented any movement on my part. They 

 differed rather markedly also in the manner of their approach to 

 the nest and of carrying their prey. 



My second example of B. belfragei having dug the nest completely 

 in the forenoon, carried into it four bugs from 1 :42 to 4 -.10. Hold- 

 ing the bug venter uppermost with her middle pair of legs, the wasp 

 would settle upon the sand that closed the entrance and stop there 

 for nearly a minute in a listening attitude. Perhaps she was get- 

 ting her breath after the long flight with her burden, for her abdo- 

 men would heave up and down after the manner insects have of 

 breathing. At any rate, the delay in getting the bug under cover 

 must be disadvantageous to the species for the reason that it gives 

 parasitic or commensalistic flies more time to smell the bugs and find 

 the nest. The habit is widespread within the species, for nearly all 

 the individuals I saw act in this way. This hesitation at the en- 

 trance forms a striking contrast to the habit of Rhopalum which 

 dives into her open doorway. 



Assured that all is well, belfragei opens up the nest with her front 

 legs, still holding the bug with her middle pair, and walks in. 

 When just inside, she passes the bug back to the third pair of legs, 

 or, dropping it, she advances until she can conveniently grasp it 

 with the third pair. Then she picks it up again and passes on, 

 the bug now projecting beyond the tip of the wasp's abdomen. 



At 4 :10 p. m. the last bug was brought in and the wasp began to 

 permanently close the nest. After remaining inside for seven min- 

 utes, she came forth scratching the sand back to fill up the tunnel, 

 biting it loose from the sides, pulling it from the surface and press- 

 ing it down with her abdomen. I caught her when she had nearly 

 finished, and opened the nest. The tunnel, three-eighths of an inch 

 in diameter and ten inches long, was entirely filled with sand and 

 could be traced only by virtue of the dryness and the light color of 

 the sand stuffed in. The pocket was one inch long and five-eighths 

 inch in diameter and was five inches below the surface of the gi'ound. 

 It contained seven bugs. The egg was attached to the mesosternum 



