144 WASP STUDIES AFIELD 



extend downward in a gentle slope for a distance of twelve 

 inches to a chamber one-half inch in diameter," which con- 

 tained seven leaf-hoppers. 



Tachysphex terminatus Smith [S. A. Rohwer]. 



This energetic wasp goes about its nest-building in a 

 manner very similar to that of Bembi.r nubilipennis. It digs 

 in sandy places; it attacks a spot furiously and digs down 

 rapidly with the forelegs, flinging the dirt out under the 

 body and behind it. Occasionally it backs out of the hole 

 to sweep back the accumulating sand in front of the door. 

 It seems to have little difficulty in digging in sand ; the work 

 goes on quickly and somehow it contrives to keep the 

 roof from falling in. We have watched many BembLr spi- 

 nolae commence holes, work them for three or four inches 

 and then abandon them, but not so with this species ; where 

 she starts work she holds her own and seldom changes her 

 mind. There are exceptions to this rule of course. We saw 

 one attempt twelve different holes in a small area where our 

 footsteps had already loosened the sand, so of course her 

 roof would not hold firm; but as soon as the roof caved in 

 she would start in another place. This however was not 

 the fault of her careless work or her fickleness. 



They dig with remarkable speed and skill when work- 

 ing in sand, and contrive to make a simple but shapely bur- 

 row ; but when working in harder soil or clay, they dig very 

 differently. We presume this difference in habit is due to 

 the difference in soil, and not at all to the locality. The 

 sand diggers were not more than forty miles distant from 

 the clay diggers. The latter which we observed seemed 

 just as intense in their work as those just described, but 

 seemed to experience more difficulty in accomplishing their 



