4 
AMMOPHILA SABULOSA. 
0 the lover of natural history nothing can be more inter- 
esting than the study of insect life. The pine hills of 
Surrey, with their heath-grown commons and sunny, 
1 sandy slopes, have furnished me with many curious 
specimens ; among others the Ammophila sabulosa, of the family 
Sphecidse, order Hymenoptera. The females exhibit extra- 
ordinary instinct in discovering the proper receptacles for their 
eggs. 
From the beginning of June till late in the summer this 
voracious insect continues her work of destruction upon the 
larvae of the Lepidoptera ; you may watch her through the 
whole proceeding, so entirely is she engrossed in her occupation. 
Lying on the heather, near an open, sandy space, on July 4, I 
observed the Ammophila seize upon her prey — a green cater- 
pillar, three times the size of herself — fiercely stinging it several 
times. Once during the operation she alighted on my shoulder. 
In order to follow her movements more closely I rescued the 
grub and placed it upon my bright scarlet sunshade, but nothing 
daunted, the cruel Ammophila repeated her attacks without 
mercy, until her poor victim being partially paralysed, she pre- 
pared to carry it to the place of destination. Taking the larva 
by the head in her strong mandibles — especially fitted for the 
purpose — she dragged it along ; now and then the caterpillar 
would catch despairingly at a blade of grass, clinging to it with 
the last segment of the body, as if anticipating the cruel designs 
of its enemy. I noticed that the Ammophila after repeated 
efforts to proceed, let go the head and detached the hook from 
the protecting stem, so persevering was she in her endeavours : 
though I repeatedly removed the caterpillar to a distance, she 
returned again and again with surprising determination, until, 
having conveyed it to a suitable spot, with wonderful rapidity 
she formed a cell in the sand, using her mandibles to bring out 
particles of earth, and throwing the sand in a shower to about 
eight inches distant. Whilst burrowing she made a loud, 
buzzing noise, never ceasing in her work. 
The cell being prepared, she descended into it backwards 
dragging her prey after her, and I believe it is at this moment, 
the larva being placed at the bottom of the burrow, that the 
insect chooses to deposit her egg. Previous to the interment 
I had carefully examined the caterpillar, and found only sting 
wounds. 
Now the Ammophila proceeds with the same hurried move- 
ments to fill up the cavity and close the mouth of the burrow, 
smoothing the sand at the surface until no trace of the entrance 
can be detected. No sooner is her work completed than she 
commences her researches for another victim, running quickly 
