200 



servo tlio fliijlits of the males, which appeared always to take a 

 direction toward the dwelling near by. A close examination of 

 the exterior of the building as well as of the shrubbery adjacent 

 tliereto resulted in noticing more than the usual numl)er of males 

 flying around and over Hibiscus bushes alongside a latticed 

 porch. Having watched these for a short while it was observed 

 that after flying around the flowers for a few minutes several 

 of the wasps would direct their flight toward a window near by, 

 the blinds of which had been securely closed and fastened for 

 sometime past. A closer examination revealed the fact that 

 uund)ers of the wasp were buzzing around the partly opened 

 slats of the blinds. Noting several of the largest individiuils 

 which at first sight appeared to be females, I was again unsuc- 

 cessful in securing that sex. Why so many male Odynerus were 

 buzzing around the slats of these blinds without any apparent 

 ol)ject was certainly puzzling. I finally came to the conclusion 

 that a peculiar spot for their nests had been selected on the in- 

 side of the blinds and these males were waiting for the emerg- 

 ence of females. Eventually ojjeniug the blinds I discovered 

 three large nests of our common mud-dauber (Sceliphron caem- 

 entarium) adhering to the glass and window sash. After detach- 

 ing these they were placed in separate breding jars in the labora- 

 tory. The results obtained have been altogether satisfactory as 

 from these mud-dauber nests there have so far emerged 10 fe- 

 males and 18 males of this peculiar but apparently common 

 wasp. With exception of a sufficient number for examination 

 and determination all of the bred males were liberated. 



This newly introduced Odynerus uses the vacant cells of Sce- 

 liphron for its nests in the same manner as our indigenous 0. 

 nif/ripennis is now known to do. In some of these cells were 

 found fairly large supplies of caterpillars with which the larvae 

 of Odynerus are fed. Specimens of the caterpillars have been 

 kindly determined for me by Mr. O. H. Swezey as Cryptoblahes 

 aliena Sw. Tt is of economic interest to note that this particular 

 species of Lepidopterous larva has thus far not been found in 

 the nests of any of our local species of Odynerus. The mud- 

 dauber nests also appeared to be w^ell stocked \vith the larvae and 

 pupae of Sceliphron as well as those of the Odynerus although 

 up to the present I have only bred out the latter. The larvae of 

 both these Aculeates I found attacked by Melittohia hawaiiensis 

 Perk., swarms of these small Chalcidoid parasites being found 

 in both larval and pupal stages. Thousands have since bred out 

 in the jars as well as in individual tubes where both larvae and 



