234 The Hunting IVasps 



backwards, as though the Wasp, emerging 

 from her well head last, avoided turning, so as 

 to save time. It is the species carrying their 

 abdomens on the longest stalks, such as the 

 Sandy Ammophila and the Silky Ammophila, 

 which mainly display this automaton-like 

 rigidity in action. That belly swelling into a 

 pear at the end of a thread is in fact a very 

 delicate thing to steer : a sudden movement 

 might warp the fine stalk. So we must walk 

 with a sort of geometrical rigour ; if we have 

 to fly, we will do so backwards, to avoid tacking 

 too often. On the other hand, the Hairy 

 Ammophila, who has a short abdominal pedicle, 

 works at her burrow with the heedless, nimble 

 movements which we admire in most of the 

 Digger-wasps. She has more freedom of action, 

 because her belly does not get in her way. 



The home is dug. At a later hour in the 

 day, or even merely when the sun has left the 

 place where the burrow has just been bored, the 

 Ammophila invariably visits the little heap of 

 stones placed in reserve during the excavating, 

 with the object of choosing a bit to suit her. If 

 there is nothing that satisfies her needs, she 

 explores the neighbourhood and soon discovers 

 what she wants, a small flat stone slightly larger 

 in diameter than the mouth of her hole. She 

 carries off this slab in her mandibles and lays it. 



