AFFECTION OF INSECTS FOR THEIR YOUNG. 211 



substantial aliment for the grubs of maturer growth. These wage war 

 upon bees, flies, and even the meat of a butcher's stall, and joyfully return 

 to the nest laden with the well-filled bodies of the former, or pieces of 

 the latter as large as they can carry. This solid food they distribute in 

 like manner to the larger grubs, which may be seen eagerly protruding 

 their heads out of the cells to receive the welcome meal. As wasps lay 

 up no store of food l , these exertions are the task of every day during the 

 summer, fresh broods of grubs constantly succeeding to those which have 

 become pupae or perfect insects ; and in autumn, when the colony is aug- 

 mented to 20,000 or 30,000, and the grubs in proportion, the scene of 

 bustle which it presents may be readily conceived. 



Though such is the love of wasps for their young, that if their nest be 

 broken almost entirely in pieces they will not abandon it 2 , yet when the 

 cold weather approaches, a melancholy change ensues, followed by a cruel 

 catastrophe, which at first you will be apt to regard as ill comporting with 

 this affectionate character. As soon as the first sharp frost of October 

 has been felt, the exterior of a wasp's nest becomes a perfect scene of 

 horror. The old wasps drag out of the cells all the grubs and unrelent- 

 ingly destroy them, strewing their dead carcasses around the door of their 

 now desolate habitation. " What monsters of cruelty ! " I hear you ex- 

 claim ; " what detestable barbarians ! " But be not too hasty. When 

 you have coolly considered the circumstances of the case, you will view 

 this seemingly cruel sacrifice in a different light. The old wasps have no 

 stock of provisions : the benumbing hand of Winter is about to incapacitate 

 them from exertion ; while the season itself affords no supply. What 

 resource then is left ? Their young must linger on a short period, suf- 

 fering all the agonies of hunger, and at length expire. They have it in 

 their power at least to shorten the term of this misery to cut off its 

 bitterest moments. A sudden death by their own hands is comparatively 

 a merciful stroke. This is the only alternative ; and thus, in fact, this 

 apparent ferocity is the last effort of tender affection, active even to the 

 end of life. I do not mean to say that this train of reasoning actually 

 passes through the mind of the wasps. It is more correct to regard it as 

 having actuated the benevolent Author of the instinct so singularly, and 

 without doubt so wisely, excited. Were a nest of wasps to "survive the 

 winter, they would increase so rapidly, that not only would all the bees, 

 flies, and other animals on which they prey, be extirpated, but man him- 

 self find them a grievous pest. It is necessary, therefore, that the great 

 mass should annually perish ; but that they may suffer as little as possible, 

 the Creator, mindful of the happiness of the smallest of his creatures, has 

 endowed a part of the society, at the destined time, with the wonderful 

 instinct which, previously to their own death, makes them the executioners 

 of the rest. 



1 There are, however, exceptions to this rule, as in the nests of some species of 

 Polistes, which fix them to trees, &c., are found about a dozen cells filled with honey 

 at the time these nests contain cells destined to receive the larvae of females and of 

 males, which renders the opinion of M. Lepelletier de Saint-Fargeau probable, that 

 this honey is destined in part to nourish the former and to exercise some influence on 

 the development of their genital organs. Polistes Lecheguana, found in Paraguay 

 and Monte Video, also stores up honey as before mentioned. (Lacordaire, Introd. a 

 VEntom. ii. 51 1.), as does Myrapetra scutellaris, White. (Ann. Nat. Hist. vii. 320.) 



2 Reauni. vi. 174. 



p 2 



