The Bembex 263 



can find larvae side by side with larger or smaller 

 stocks of food. On the other hand, let us 

 inspect the home of a Bembex at the moment 

 when she is entering with the fruits of her 

 hunting. We are certain of finding in the cell 

 a larva, big or little as the case may be, among 

 remnants of provisions already consumed. The 

 portion which the mother is now bringing is 

 therefore intended to prolong a meal which has 

 already lasted several days and which is to 

 continue for some time further with the produce 

 of future hunting expeditions. Should we be 

 fortunate enough to make this search towards 

 the end of the larva's infancy — an advantage 

 which I have enjoyed as often as I wished to — 

 we shall find, on a copious heap of remnants, a 

 large and portly grub, to which the mother is 

 still bringing fresh victuals. The Bembex does 

 not cease her catering and does not leave the 

 cell for good until the larva, distended by a 

 purply paste, refuses its food and lies down, 

 stuffed to repletion, on the jumble of legs and 

 wings of the game which it has devoured. 



Each time that the mother enters the burrow 

 on returning from the chase, she brings but a 

 single Fly. If it were possible, by counting the 

 remnants contained in a cell whose occupant is 

 full-grown, to tell the number of victims supplied 

 to the larva, we should know how often at the 



