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Zethusculus hamatus Zay. has been studied by Howes (1917) in 
British Guiana; it makes delicate cells of ribbon moss peeled into 
little hoops. These cells resemble the shell of certain snails. 
ihe egg of this Zethusculus, though attached to the roof of the 
cell, is apparently sessile. The food of the larva are caterpillars. 
Zethusculus lobulatus De Saussure has been studied by Ducke 
(1914) in Para, who illustrates a compound nest of chewed-up 
pieces of leaves and built by several females. Each female here 
attends to her own cells. Other species nest in holes in wood. 
Vespinae, 
The Vespinae or social wasps, known in temperate regions by 
only a few genera, are represented in the tropics by many. W hile 
some species can scarcely be induced to sting, there are es 
merous others which defend their nests very promptly, and i 
is a divided question whether all the species are docile ee 
unmolested. 
Perhaps the best represented Philippine genus and the one 
commonest in species, is /caria. These are usually rather small 
wasps, resembling somewhat an undersized Polistes. They build 
in many situations ; some make an uncovered pedicelled nest as 
in Polistes and Polybia, while others make a paper cover for 
their cells; such nests, often flat or oval in shape, are placed 
between palm leaflets, or other leaves, against boulders, tree 
trunks, etc. The wasps are stingers of good or moderate ability, 
and at your first venture usually stand at attention with alert 
wings and visage, awaiting definite hostilities. Though there is 
scant temperate weather in this part of the tropics, the /caria 
communities do not appear to be perennial; numerous deserted 
nests are to be found, though many of these are doubtless ruined 
by the big Vespa deusta. It seems, however, that at least some 
species of /caria have a sort of swarming habit, as one may 
meet with a good wasp colony engaged in building a nest, where 
a day or two previous none was to be seen. 
Icaria is a very interesting genus which, owing to the abun- 
dance of its species and their often comparative mildness or dis- 
position, should be thoroughly studied. 
Of the Philippine Vespa I met with two species, both very large 
wasps. lespa luctuwosa Saussure, the smaller of the two, is a grey- 
black insect with nearly transparent wings and measures in the 
worker about 20 mm. long. It builds large paper nests on trees or 
bushes. | found the insect common in a banana grove where it 
fed at the elongate flowers of this plant. A couple of these w asps 
made repeated clumsy and unsuccessful attempts to pounce on 
