The Nest-building Odynerus 



me, hoards in her nests a dumpy head of 

 game, covered with black spots and smell- 

 ing strongly of bitter almonds. I informed 

 my daughter that this game was the larva 

 of the Poplar Leaf-beetle (Chrysomela 

 populi), a Beetle with red wing-cases re- 

 minding one, on a larger scale, of the Coc- 

 cinella, or Common Ladybird. Insect and 

 larva should be found together on the pop- 

 lars of the neighbourhood, browsing pro- 

 miscuously on the leaves. I added that a 

 glorious opportunity had presented itself 

 and that we must profit by it without delay. 

 She therefore received instructions to keep 

 a watch on this, that and the other and to 

 furnish my insect laboratory with reed- 

 stumps as and when they became colonized 

 and with poplar-branches covered with Chry- 

 somela-grubs. A collaboration was thus set 

 up between Orange and Serignan, the facts 

 observed on both sides mutually completing 

 and corroborating each other. 



Let us come quickly to the bundle of 

 reeds, the first examination of which gratifies 

 my fondest hopes. It contains things that 

 reawaken all the enthusiasm of my youth: 

 cells converted into game-baskets, eggs on 

 the point of hatching beside the victuals, 

 new-born grubs biting into their first victim, 

 185 



