NEST OF A MUD WASP 



57 



SUPPLEMENTARY WORK 



What are in Mud Wasps' Nests. — The cells of a mud wasp's 

 nest are homes for baby wasps. As soon as a mother com- 

 pletes a cell she lays an egg in it, fills the cell with spiders, 

 and closes the door 

 with a lump of mud. 

 A legless larva hatches 

 out and lives on the 

 spiders until it is fully 

 grown. Then it lies 

 quiet in the pupal state 

 for a while, until its 

 wings have grown. At 

 last it gnaws its way 

 out and flies off, never 

 to return to the nest. 

 You may have seen 

 wasps come into your 

 kitchen and fly around 

 as if they vv^ere looking 

 for something. If you let them alone, they will not sting you, 

 but will catch spiders to put into their nests. 



How Wasps build their Nests. — Where have you seen the 

 nests of mud wasps ? Were they all of one color ? Could 

 you tell where the wasps got their mud ? You may sometimes 

 find an unused or half-finished cell on a nest. Give a reason 

 why the cell is unfinished. Notice if there are any unused 

 balls of mud on the next nest that you see. 



In warm weather wasps may often be seen getting mud 

 around pumps and kitchen drains. Watch one roll a ball of 

 mud with its fore feet, seize it with its jaws, and fly away. 

 How long does it take a wasp to roll a lump as big as it can 

 carry ? Notice what a wasp does with its wings while it is 

 working with the mud. 



Mud Wasp's Nest 



