198 IKJTTRIOUS INSECTS. 



thrust its beak into the flesh. The most probable origin 

 of tbese reports of stinging is due to the fact that a very 

 large digger wasp {Stizus grandis) provides its nest with 

 the Cicada, among other insects, as food for its young. 

 The mother wasp stings her victims sufficiently to parar 

 lyze, but not to kill them, and takes them to her under- 

 ground nest. This wasp is given of the real size in 

 figure 123. It is possible that one may, in catching a 

 Cicada, get a sting from this wasp, which had already 

 captured it. 



