74 
has been collected by us in Wisconsin, lowa, Illinois, Michigan, and 
Indiana. It has been reared by E. G. Kelly and H. E. Smith from 
cocoons collected at Wellington, Kansas; by W. R. McConnell and H. E. 
Smith from cocoons collected at Greenwood, Miss., by C. N. Ainslie 
from cocoons collected at Elk Point, S. Dak.; and by J. A. Hyslop from 
cocoons collected at Hagerstown, Md. 
The habits of Elis differ noticeably from those of Tiphia, primarily 
in the fact that it permanently paralyzes the grub betore laying an 
egg. Briefly, the life history and habits are as follows: The adults 
issue in July and feed on the nectar of flowers, more especially sweet 
clover. At night the males rest on weeds and similar vegetation, the 
females entering the soil for oviposition. The method used by the wasp 
in attacking the grub is similar to that of Tiphia, but its sting causes 
permanent paralysis. After the grub is paralyzed, an egg, which hatches 
in about two days, is laid loosely on the under side of the abdomen of 
the grub. At first the larva consumes only the body fluid, as does Tiphia, 
but when nearly full-grown it eats the grub, leaving only the chitinized 
parts such as the head; it is therefore an ectoparasite throughout its 
life. Feeding rapidly, the larva consumes the grub and completes its 
growth in about 5 days, and requires from 1 to 2 days for the making 
of its cocoon—a total of only 8 or 9 days from the time the egg is laid 
until the cocoon is completed. Within the cocoon (Pl. IV, Fig. 10, 11) 
it remains as a larva over winter, pupating in spring, and issuing as an 
adult wasp in July. 
In 1914» notes on the life history of E. 5-cimcta were obtained by 
confining numbers of Elis collected on sweet clover (Melilotus alba) in 
a 12-inch flower-pot cage containing white-grubs. The wasps were 
given honey water as well as sweet clover blossoms, and the grubs were 
examined every few days for eggs. Elis adults were first placed in this 
cage July 7, 1914, but eggs were not found until July 23. According 
to our observations this species is not parthenogenetic, but in confine- 
ment unfertilized females do frequently sting and paralyze grubs. In 
this process the wasp wraps its abdomen about the first or second 
thoracic segment of the grub much as does Tiphia and stings the host on 
the ventrum of the thorax near the head. After a short struggle the 
grub becomes motionless and limp, in which condition it remains until 
devoured by the Elis larva or until it dies. We have kept grubs which 
have been “stung”, but upon which the wasp failed to lay an egg, for 
over a month in an undecayed condition although to all appearances 
dead. The egg is white with a faint cream-tint, elliptical and slightly 
curved, 3 mm. in length by .8 mm. in width. It is laid medially on the 
under side of the body (Fig. 12, and Pl. V, Fig. 13), usually on the 
sixth or seventh abdominal segment, and not glued tightly to the body 
as is the Tiphia egg. Only one egg is laid on a single grub. Upon 
hatching, the larva immediately begins to feed on the body juices, the 
grub gradually shriveling from the loss. When almost grown, the para- 
site devours the grub, leaving only the chitinized parts, such as the head. 
