88 THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE BUG-HUNTERS. 



Astata unicolor Say. 

 Plates IX., fig. 5; XI., fig. 3; XII., fig. 4. 



This species varies much in size, the larger ones being about 

 half an inch long. It is black, the thorax having some white 

 pubescence while the abdomen is smooth and shining. 



We had so often followed these wasps without seeing them 

 capture anything that we had almost come to believe that they 

 were chasing a will-o'-the-wisp, or something equally intangible. 

 For a long time we could get no clue to their lives but at last 

 a day came when we saw one drop into a hole in the ground 

 which showed a good sized opening with earth heaped all 

 around, more on one side than on the other. Within six inches 

 was a second nest, mo-e perfectly shaped, with a funnel-like 

 opening exactly like that of Cerceris clypeata, and this was oc- 

 cupied by a second wasp of the same species. They were both 

 busy carrying in nymphs of Podisus modestus Fabr., which 

 they held by the base of the antennae, venter up, grasping them 

 with the mandibles and supporting them, more or less, while 

 flying, with the second pair of legs. Every time that a bug was 

 brought home the wasp alighted and walked around near the 

 nest for a few minutes, and then went in head first. One of 

 them paid no attention to us but the other chowed much annoy- 

 ance at our presence and buzzed about for some time before go- 

 ing in. Before taking their departure they almost invariably 

 made a long locality study, first running about on the ground, 

 flirting their wings nervously as they went, and then rising 

 and circling all around the place. (PI. XII., fig. 4.) Their 

 periods of work evidently alternated with spells of idleness for 



