Wasps and Ants 43 



with it, then resting, perfectly motionless with 

 wings shut tight. Commonly the last rest was 

 upon the piazza floor — after it the wasp 

 mounted to the nest plane in slow rather 

 wavering spirals, keeping all four wings in 

 rapid motion. Caterpillars were not carried 

 like spiders, nor as the red wasps carried paper- 

 pulp, in jaws and between fore legs. The 

 wasps caught the caterpillars back of the head, 

 stupefied them with judicious stings, then sat 

 with all six legs astride their backs, held fast, 

 set all wings fanning, and rose from the ground, 

 but never very high. Indeed throughout the 

 hunting they flew so low it was a standing mar- 

 vel how they ever managed to mount to the nest. 

 But after all, none of the others were as 

 funny as the dirt-daubers. Once they had 

 made their minds up to build a nest upon a 

 particular spot, they knew no such word as 

 fail. If their mud-walls were knocked down, 

 they swept off the place with a rapid fanning 

 of wings, and laid a new foundation. Joe saw 

 them do this four times one morning in the 

 time between a late bfeakfast and a noon din- 

 ner. That made him understand about Dan 

 and the yarrow. White Oaks daubers some- 

 how could not abide the smell of the plant. 

 Dan said the reason was, yarrow was a con- 

 jure herb, but upon that point Joe reserved 

 opinion. 



