152 



OUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS 



case in a warm season. A number of those 

 observed in spinning their cocoons required 

 twenty-three days to complete the transforma- 

 tion. A few individuals required twenty-five 



Larva spinning its cocoon. 



The emerging wasps would not forage 

 for baby sisters. 



days. Two years before, some under similar 

 observation completed this stage of develop- 

 ment in only fifteen days, so the weather ap- 

 parently greatly influences the time required 

 in the different stages. 



When the larvae had completed their 

 growth, the spinning of the cocoons was an 

 interesting observation. It was on the 2^th of 

 June, after the first two larvae had entered 

 upon their long sleep, that the Naturalist saw 

 two more in adjoining cells spin their cocoons 



