314 Mr. G. E. Bodkin's Notes on 



Subfamily SPHECINAE. 



Genus Sceliphron, King. 



S. fishdare, Dahlb. This species is widely distributed. 

 Its mud nests are common objects on palings, beneath 

 houses, and at times within the house itself, behind pic- 

 tures, etc. The nests are somewhat irregular in shape and 

 may contain as many as eight or ten cells. Sometimes 

 only two cells are constructed together, when the archi- 

 tecture is then better demonstrated. The usual procedure 

 is to build one cell and attach it firmly, and then to build 

 other cells around it. Each cell is stored with spiders, 

 from sixteen to twenty according to the size of the spiders. 

 As soon as the requisite number of spiders has been obtained 

 the cell is closed up. The egg, according to C. B. Williams, 

 is deposited on dorsal surface of the abdomen of the first 

 spider placed in the cell. The following observations by 

 Mr. Williams on the habits of this wasp are of interest. 

 A wasp which was engaged in constructing its mud cells 

 was observed, and its movements recorded as follows — 



12.5' 30" p.m. gone for mud, 

 12.9' 10" p.m. returned, 

 12.10' 15" j).m. gone, 

 12.17' 58" p.m. returned, 

 12.19' 20" p.m. gone again, 

 12.22' 20" p.m. returned, 

 12.23' 10" p.m. gone. 



At 12.37' 45" the wasp entered its nest and remained 

 inside; 12.38' 50" the wasp flew away, and on inspection 

 the nest was found to contain a spider (Fam. Argiopidae — 

 Gasteracanthinae) with an egg on dorsal surface of abdomen. 

 This spider was eventually removed by nu'self. At 

 12.51' 15" the wasp returned with another spider, and 

 went away 12.52' 15". At 4.10 p.m. the nest was almost 

 completely closed. The egg of this species is sausage- 

 shaped and slightly curved, dull yellowdsh white in colour, 

 with small almost transparent areas towards each end; 

 length 3''1 nnn. Young larvae when first hatched out are 

 almost 4 mm. in length. They soon attach themselves 

 to a spider, which they proceed to consume, leaving only 

 the legs. Development is completed in about two weeks. 

 The larva then connnences to spin its cocoon, which 

 occupies several days. The cocoon is dark brown in 



