124 THE SOLITARY WASPS. 



conclusion if we had not caught the little creature to satisfy a 

 suspicion that had been growing in our minds. Yes, we were 

 right. The worker was not a female making a nest for the 

 rearing of her young, but a male punctatus, preparing a shelter 

 for the night. 



In the meantime the first wasp had pushed back such a quan- 

 tity of earth that the hole was entirely closed, but every few 

 minutes he came backing out to clear the way. At the end of 

 half an hour all became quiet. The door remained closed, and 

 doubtless the wasp was fast asleep. Putting a blade of grass 

 and then an inverted tumbler over the nest we left him for the 

 night. 



On removing the glass at half past seven the next morning 

 we found the nest) open but the wasp not visible. At half past 

 eight the head appeared just inside the hole, the long antennae 

 twitching now; to this Fide, now to that, as if an inspection were 

 being made. Soon the head came out. The wasp stood for 

 some minutes making a survey, looking to right and left with 

 lively jerks of the body. Then, apparently concluding that the 

 day was not far enough advanced, he came out, whirled around, 

 and ran head-first into the nest. He probably took another 

 nap, for all was quiet until just before ten o'clock when the 

 antennae appeared again. The survey was taken as before, first 

 from within and then with the head in view. At last he flew 

 out and making three circles, each one wider than the last, about 

 the place, flew away. He staid out all day and had not returned 

 at half past three in the afternoon, but on going down at half 

 past four we found that he had gone in and closed the door 

 from below. 



It is clear, then, that these males do not construct a new lodg- 

 ing every night but return to the same spot to sleep. Other 

 wasps creep into crevices. We have often found them, in the 

 morning, in the holes of the posts of our cottage porch; but we 

 are glad to be able to put it down to the credit of one male that 

 he had sufficient foresight and industry to provide a sleeping 

 place, and sufficient intelligence to return to the spot when the 

 declining sun warns him that evening is approaching. 



