170 FIELD ZOOLOGY. 



ordinarily does — their name is given because of this 

 peculiarity. (Fig. 69.) In this family we find the cicada 

 killer, a wasp over an inch long, rusty black in color 

 (though sometimes brighter black than rusty) ; the ab- 

 domen has three yellow bands, interrupted in the middle 

 line along the back. This big wasp burrows into the 

 pith of plants for a nest, and provisions her burrow with 



Fig. 70. — The tarantula killer. Pepsis formosa. (Natural size. Kellogg.) 



a single cicada, upon which she lays her egg. Here also 

 is the giant of the whole wasp tribe, the tarantula killer. 

 This insect is mentioned by Kellogg as common in Cali- 

 fornia and the Southwest, and it is also found in the 

 Middle West. (Fig. 70.) It measures about two and 

 one-half inches in length and has a spread of wings of 

 about three and one-half inches. The body is shining 

 blue-black, and the tawny wings are bordered with black. 

 These two powerful wasps have in the greatest per- 



