1 76 OUR INSECT FRIENDS AND FOES 



its own particular prey ; while some hunt cater- 

 pillars, others attack beetles, flies, aphides, 

 spiders, and even bees. Philanthus apivorus, a 

 species found in the south of England, pro- 

 visions its nest in this cannibalistic manner 

 with a victim belonging to its own order of 

 Hymenoptera. Lying in wait amongst the 

 flowers that the bees frequent in search of 

 honey, Philanthus darts upon her prey, stings 

 it in the abdomen, and triumphantly bears it off 

 to her cell. Perhaps the boldest and most 

 intrepid of all the hunting Hymenoptera, how- 

 ever, is Pelopceus spirifex, a native of France, 

 who selects quite large spiders for her prey. 

 Having marked down a large, fat-bodied spider 

 in her web (herself on the lookout for prey), 

 Pelopaeus cautiously approaches, so that she 

 may take the spider unawares ; then with a 

 sudden dash she darts in and attempts to sting 

 the spider in the body. Should the wasp suc- 

 ceed, the spider is at once placed hors de combat, 

 but if the latter is on her guard a terrific 

 battle takes place, the wasp trying to sting 

 the spider, who manoeuvres to handicap her 

 enemy by entangling her in her threads. The 

 Pelopaeus, by her dash and daring, generally 

 succeeds in surprising and overcoming the 

 spider, although it occasionally happens that 

 the huntress herself becomes the victim, and is 

 devoured by the spider. 



The Scolia, a genus closely allied to the 

 Sphex, varies the methods employed by most of 

 her near relations, and neither makes a nest or 

 digs a burrow; but prefers to find a cell already 



