342 



WASP STUDIES AFIELD 



about one-fourth inch in diameter, and each of the two 

 cells was three- fourths inch long. The plug at the orifice 

 was thicker than the partition. Most interesting of all was 

 the fact that the last cell had broken into an old bee cell, 

 and this, too, had not been used but, on the contrary, had 



FIG. 68. Abandoned holes of the mining bee. Ignoring the opportu- 

 nity of ready made homes, Ancistrocerus fulvipes found space in the 

 interstices to dig her own burrows. 



been partitioned off with mud. The cell nearest the surface 

 of the ground contained seven caterpillars, all of the same 

 size and species, and the egg attached to the wall by the 

 usual short thread. It hatched within the succeeding twenty- 

 four hours. The caterpillars, too, were all alive at that time, 

 and had been letting out silk. 



