CH. V] WASPS 139 



perfectly possible to stand unhurt, and indeed unnoticed, 

 within a few feet of a wasp's nest in full activity so long 

 as all movements are made without flurry or haste. 



Life History 1 . The life history of the individual wasp 

 takes its appropriate place in that of the colony. Each 

 " nest " is founded and populated by but one " queen." In 

 the early spring the hibernated "queens" are roused to 

 activity by the warmth of the atmosphere and issue forth 

 from their winter quarters. These have not been found 

 in the old nests of the last season, but each " queen " after 

 mating in the previous autumn seeks for herself a secluded 

 and sheltered spot in such places as the thatch of a roof 

 or rick, under sacking or loose rubbish, or even in the 

 folds of curtains, etc., in our houses. There she seizes 

 some shreds between her jaws, draws her legs up close 

 to the body, making no use of her claws for purposes of 

 support, but relying solely upon her jaws. The antennae 

 are turned down and held under the first pair of legs; 

 the wings are brought down on the ventral side of the 

 body between the third pair of legs and the abdomen. 

 In this position she sleeps for some months. It is note- 

 worthy that the legs, wings and antennae are brought 

 once again into the position which they occupied during 

 a previous period of inactivity, namely, during the pupa 

 stage, the only difference being that the wings are now 

 of greater size. 



1 Cf. Paul Marchal, Arch, de Zool. Exper. et Gen. (3) iv. 1896; 

 C. Janet, Mem. Soc. Zool. Fr. vm. 1895 ; Mem. Soc. Acad. de VOue 

 xvi. 1895; C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, cxx. 1895; Etudes sur les Fourmis, 

 les Guepes et les Abeilles, Limoges, 1895. 



