112 
All the Vespe live in societies, which consist of males, 
females, and neuters or working wasps. 
Some impregnated females or queens survive the winter, 
and in the spring they construct for themselves a small 
nest containing a few cells, in each of which they deposit an 
egg. These eggs in yery short time produce larve (or 
maggots), which are fed by the parent until they. arrive at 
maturity, when she closes the mouth of their cells. To- 
wards the latter end of the summer they change into the 
perfect state, and this brood consists entirely of neuters, 
who with the female, construct a new nest of a larger size, 
in the cells of which, the female deposits the remaining 
portion of her eggs, whose offspring are fed and brought 
up by the neuters. This second brood is made up of males, 
females, and neuters, and the latter inmates either unite 
their efforts to enlarge the nest, or a part of them construct 
a new habitation, and some of the females live over the 
winter. Thus far I have ventured to assert from my own 
observations. | 
TAB. L. 
VESPA BRITANNICA. 
VY. thorace atro postice punctis duobus pedibusque 
flavis; femoribus basi, tibusque quatuor anteriori- 
bus macula nigris. 
Habitat in Britannia; in Anglia rarius, in Caledonia 
vulgatissime. P 
Caput atrum macula inter antennas biloba flava. 
Antenné atre ; scapo antice flavo. 
Facies antice flava linea longitudinali atra. 
