228 The Hunting Wasps 



sandy banks warmed by the southern sun. 

 Then, when the cold is past, all or part of the 

 troop will return to the place whence they 

 came. This would explain the Ventoux band 

 of Ammophilae. It was a travelling tribe 

 which, coming from the cold uplands of the 

 Drome and descending into the warm plains 

 beloved of the ohve-tree, had crossed the wide, 

 deep valley of the Toulourenc and, when sur- 

 prised by the rain, had called a halt on the 

 mountain-ridge. Apparently, therefore, the 

 Hairy Ammophila has to migrate in order to 

 escape the cold of winter. At the time when 

 the little birds of passage start their procession 

 of caravans, she too journeys from a colder to a 

 warmer neighbourhood. She has but to cross 

 a few valleys and a few mountains to find the 

 climate which she wants. 



I have two other instances of extraordinary 

 gatherings of insects at great heights. In 

 October I have found the chapel at the summit 

 of Mont Ventoux covered with Coccinella septem- 

 punctata, the Seven-spot Ladybird. The in- 

 sects clinging to the stone of both the roof and 

 walls were packed so close together that the 

 rude edifice looked, from a little way off, like a 

 piece of coral-work. I should not care to guess 

 the myriad numbers of the Ladybirds collected 

 there. Those Aphis-eaters had certainly not 



