More Hunting Wasps 



the Spider is as timid, as cowardly as she 

 was bold at the centre of her funnel. 

 The whole point of her tactics, therefore, 

 lies in dislodging the creature. This done, 

 the rest is nothing. 



The Tarantula-huntress must behave in 

 the same manner. Enlightened by her kins- 

 woman, Pompilus apicalis, my mind pictures 

 her wandering stealthily around the Lycosa's 

 rampart. The Lycosa hurries up from the 

 bottom of her burrow, believing that a vic- 

 tim is approaching; she ascends her vertical 

 tube, spreading her fore-legs outside, ready 

 to leap. But it is the Ringed Pompilus who 

 leaps, seizes a leg, tugs and hurls the Lycosa 

 from her burrow. The Spider is henceforth 

 a craven victim, who will let herself be 

 stabbed without dreaming of employing her 

 venomous fangs. Here craft triumphs over 

 strength; and this craft is not inferior to 

 mine, when, wishing to capture the Taran- 

 tula, I make her bite a spike of grass which 

 I dip into the burrow, lead her gently to the 

 surface and then with a sudden jerk throw 

 her outside. For the entomologist as for 

 the Pompilus, the essential thing is to make 

 the Spider leave her stronghold. After this 

 there is no difficulty in catching her, thanks 



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