104 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



larva grasps the cell with two little feet at 

 the end of its tail, at the same spot where 

 it was hatched. As it grows larger, how- 

 ever, it must manage somehow to reach 

 the bottom of the cell, so that it may have 

 room to continue its growth. 



This migration to the bottom of the 

 cell necessitates turning around twice, let- 

 ting go its hold on the side of the cell, 

 and yet keeping its position in the down- 

 ward-pointing cell so as not to fall out. 



If the difficult feat of letting go, turning 

 around, and moving to the bottom of the 

 cell is accomplished, all is well. 



But sometimes it is not accomplished. 

 Poor baby Vespa, using her still useful 

 tail-feet and her jaws to hang on by, slips 

 or makes a miscalculation, and out it 

 tumbles head over heels. 



It is said the mother wasp sometimes 

 puts it back after such an accident, but 

 generally it lies and wriggles in the cold 

 outer world until death claims it. 



