26 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



turner of Europe, who produces every variety of 

 elegant form by the skilful application of the simplest 

 means. 



Our island abounds with many varieties of solitary 

 wasps and bees; and their nests may therefore be 

 easily discovered by those who, in the proper seasons, 

 are desirous of observing the peculiarities of their 

 architecture. 



Mason-Wasps. 



In September, 1828, a common species of solitary 

 mason-wasp (Odynerus, Latr.) was observed by us* 



Odynerus.— Natural size. 



on the east wall of a house at Lee, in Kent, very busy 

 in excavating a hole in one of the bricks, about five 

 feet from the ground. Whether there might not 

 have been an accidental hole in the brick, before 

 the wasp commenced her labours, is unknown, a9 

 she had made considerable progress in the work 

 when first observed ; but the brick was one of the 

 hardest of the yellow sort made in this neighbourhood. 

 The most remarkable circumstance in the process of 

 hewing into the brick, was the care of the insect in 

 removing to a distance the fragments which from 

 time to time she succeeded in detaching. It did not 

 appear to suit her design to wear down the brick, 

 particle by particle, as the furniture-beetle (Anobium 

 pertinax) does, in making its pin-hole galleries in 

 old wood. Our wasp-architect, on the contrary, by 

 means of her strong Iranchan t-tootUed jaws, severed 

 * J.R. 



