32 



thetic that stupefies spiders almost instantly. This coma- 

 tose state lasts for several days, long enough for the pur- 

 poses of the wasp, at the end of which time the spider dies 

 provided that he is not devoured before. 



The wasp clasps its legs about the victim firmly and flies 

 oif with it to its cell, — usually provided beforehand as we 

 have seen. When the cell is filled with spiders, the wasp 

 deposits a single egg upon the last one and seals up the 

 house. In a day or two this egg hatches and the little 

 grub starts working on the large store of provender provid- 

 ed for it by its thoughtful parent. It grows rapidly in 

 size and soon consumes all of the spiders at which period it 

 spins a cocoon about itself and becomes a chrysalid. The 

 change to the wasp stage may come in a few weeks or a few 

 months depending upon the season. 



Other species of solitary wasps build their cells in holes 

 in the ground, filling them with other kinds of spiders, 

 with caterpillars or even, as one species does exclusively, of 

 harvest flies or cicadas. 



We have seen that spiders of many kinds are in demand 

 among the wasp family as food for their babies, but spid- 

 ers have other aims in life than to be served to wasp-grubs. 

 We will investigate the owners of some of the manj- webs 

 we see everywhere, in the grass and among the blackberry 

 vines, and see what they do for a living. 



WEBS AND THEIR MAKERS. 



An early morning walk through the fields discloses num- 

 bers of beautiful webs glistening with dew. How dainty 

 and exquisite some of the patterns! What skilful workers 

 spiders must be to produce such designs ! Yet spiders are 

 loathed by most persons. Why? Probably because thej^ 

 are not informed as to the value of spiders in the economic 

 world and very greatly over-estimate the dangers from 

 them. True some spiders will sting; so will a dog bite; 

 so will a cat scratch; and so will a man clench his fist in 

 self defence. It is human, animal and insect nature to 



