WASP- FLOWERS 49 



to receive the pollen it desires from its 

 distant neighbours. 



Once dusted with pollen the pistil turns 

 down out of the way over the lower lip 

 of the urn, and the stamens then present 

 themselves, ripe and ready to dust the 

 honey-seekers with plenteous pollen to 

 be carried to neighbouring figworts. 



This service of pollen-carrying the wasps 

 must perform, whether they like it or not, 

 — and they do not seem to like it, for 

 wasps do not gather pollen for food as 

 do bees, and it is only a nuisance to them. 



They often stop to brush it oflF, but 

 enough grains cling to them to serve the 

 purpose of the flowers visited. 



The figwort has a hood over its head 

 formed by the borders of the upper petals ; 

 and this is one of the prettiest things 

 about it. 



The wasp goes in under this hood, 

 which rises as the bud unfolds, and re- 

 veals the opening to the flower urn. 



