Bramble-bees and Others 



small-sized Odynerus-wasp, Odynerus alpe- 

 stris, Sauss. She builds a very pretty nest 

 with resin and gravel In the shells of the 

 young Garden Snail, of Helix nemoralis and 

 sometimes of Biilimus radiatus. I will de- 

 scribe her masterpiece on some other occasion. 

 To one acquainted with the genus Odynerus, 

 any comparison with the Anthidia would be 

 an inexcusable error. In larval diet, in shape, 

 In habits they form two dissimilar groups, 

 very far removed one from the other. The 

 Anthidia feed their offspring on honey-bread; 

 the Odynerl feed it on live prey. Well, with 

 her slender form, her weakly frame. In which 

 the most clear-seeing eye would seek In vain 

 for a clue to the trade practised, the Alpine 

 Odynerus, the game-lover, uses pitch in the 

 same way as the stout and massive Resin-bee, 

 the honey-lover. She even uses It better, for 

 her mosaic of tiny pebbles Is much prettier 

 than the Bee's and no less solid. With her 

 mandibles, this time neither spoon nor rake, 

 but rather a long forceps slightly notched at 

 the tip, she gathers her drop of sticky mat- 

 ter as dexterously as do her rivals with their 

 very different outfit. Her case will, I think, 

 persuade us that neither the shape of the tool 



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