94 



host has long since rotted away, splits open. Out crawls the powerful 

 giant wasp, she brushes herself thoroughly and waits for strength to 

 dig her way out. 



In a few hours she has made her way laboriously to the surface of 

 the ground. Here, all laden with mud and the sweat of her effort, 

 she cleans and scrubs and rubs the dirt from her limbs. She draws 

 her feet through her mouth and with this droll fluid polishes her 

 eyes. Last, she scrapes her feelers clean, curls them back and forth, 

 spits upon them, rubs them until they shine like metal. Having thus 

 made her toilet, she is off, expert of wing at her virgin flight. She 

 goes in a straight line out of sight, in search of a male to become her 

 mate. 



