144 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



begin to appear, and finally the large and 

 handsome queens will come forth, and all 

 will industriously feed the remaining larvae. 



Honey or syrup should be supplied as 

 food to the adult wasps, and flies or raw 

 meat should be given them to feed the 

 larvae. 



They feed the larv^ some syrup or 

 honey, but like to add animal food to the 

 diet. 



A wasp will bite out a bit of raw meat 

 and put it into the mouth of a larva, 

 leaving the infant to chew it up as well as 

 it can. 



It is an amusing spectacle to see a comb- 

 ful of larvae each with a bit of red meat in 

 its mouth, upon which it is industriously 

 feeding. 



The combs can be successfully watched 

 for several days, the length of time de- 

 pending upon the environment, for the 

 young brood exposed to changes of tem- 

 perature eventually perish before all have 



