HYMENOPJERA. 



659 



abdomen the shape of an old-fashioned earring, 

 species provisions its nest with caterpil- 

 lars, and frequently with the canker-worm. 



The greater number of our solitary 

 wasps belong to the genus Ody/urus (Od- 

 y-ne'rus). In this genus the abdomen is 

 joined to the thorax by a very short ped- 

 uncle. The shape of the body and fre- 

 quently the coloration resemble those of 

 the social wasps known as yellow-jackets, 

 although usually the body is more slender 

 and smaller. The common species are 

 quite neighborly; and owing to this res- 

 emblance to the yellow-jackets, they in- 

 spire us with a fear that is out of all 

 proportion to their will or ability to inflict 

 pain. 



The wasps of this genus exhibit a great 

 variation in habits. Many species burrow 

 in the stems of pithy plants, making a series 

 of cells separated by mud partitions; other 

 species will avail themselves of any con- 

 venient cavity in which to make their nests, 

 frequently utilizing the deserted nests of 

 mud-daubers. In this case a single cell of 

 a mud-dauber is divided by a transverse 

 partition making two cells for the smaller 





This 



e 



Fig. 787. — Monibia quadridens. Fig. 788. 



Odynerns. One year these wasps plastered up many of the 



