92 INSECT BEHAVIOR 



As in all insects, the wasp's first vital duty upon leaving its cocoon 

 is to mate and deposit her eggs, which in due time are to bring forth 

 the diggers of the following season. Her life story is most interesting. 



Towards the middle of the day, when the cicadas are singing in 

 every tree, the sphecid may be seen flying swiftly to a spot from 

 whence a song is issuing. For a minute she disappears among the 

 foliage, then suddenly the song ceases abruptly, giving place to a 

 cry of agony and fright. The wasp has seized the unsuspecting 

 cicada, and its terrible sting has been driven in, instantly paralyzing 

 and throwing the unfortunate insect into a comatose condition, from 

 which it never recovers. 



The wasp and cicada will often fall to the ground together, 

 struggling violently, the ill-fated bug giving vent to discordant death 

 cries. From here the wasp carries its burden to the nest, which is 

 often a difficult object to accomplish. The cicada is heavier than 

 the wasp herself, which is a condition rarely met with among the 

 preying Hymenoptera, and to carry the victim to the burrow often 

 requires much time and patience on the part of the sphecid. 



If the wasp and cicada fall from the foliage of a tall tree, all goes 

 well. The wasp recovers before reaching the earth and flies to the 

 nest without difficulty. Usually, however, the two strike the ground 

 in a noisy struggle, where the sphecid accomplishes her work of 

 paralyzing the cicada, often in a tiny cloud of dust. When this 

 happens the wasp cannot lift her dead weight victim into the air. 

 Try as she may, the precious meat will not budge from the earth and 

 one wonders how the journey to the nest will be accomplished. 



It has been stated that in such a case, the wasp drags the cicada 

 overland, but this I have found to be untrue. The sphecid's course is 

 very simple and interesting. 



She drags her burden to the nearest tree, mounts to a distance 

 of twenty feet or more and from this lofty perch launches herself 



