150 
Psyche 
[December 
NOTES ON THE PREY AND INQUILINES OF PODA- 
LONIA VIOLACEIPENNIS FORM 
LUCTUOSA (F. SMITH) 
By Charles H. Hicks, 
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 
The digger wasp, Podalonia violaceipennis form luctuosa 
(F. Smith) 1 , captures cutworm larvae and stores them as 
food for her young. The prey is usually dug from the soil 
and paralyzed by stinging. Later, after a cell has been con- 
structed, it is placed in the earth, an egg is attached to its 
side and it soon becomes food for the waspling. 
The prey, large, mature or nearly mature cutworms, are 
found and overcome by the wasp but usually, not without 
some difficulty. The hunt and capture has been described 
by Newcomer 2 , who also has given an account of the wasp’s 
habits, and later by Hicks 3 . The larvae hide by day, con- 
cealed beneath the soil or some suitable object, and it is a 
task for the wasp to find them. 
A study of the cutworms, taken by the wasp, shows that 
several species are involved. The wide geographical distri- 
bution of P. luctuosa , (found according to Fernald 2 , “prac- 
tically everywhere in the Northern United States and 
Southern Canadian territory”), would suggest this proba- 
bility and the facts thus far bear it out. A consideration of 
certain data follows. 
1 Kindly determined by Professor H. T. Fernald. 
2 Newcomer, E. J. Notes on the Habits of a Digger Wasp and Its 
Inquiline Flies. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., 23: 552-563, 1930. 
3 Hicks, Charles H. The Hunt and Capture of the Prey of a Digger 
Wasp. Bull. So. Calif. Acad. Sci., 30: 75-83. 1931. 
On the Digger Wasp, Podalonia luctuosa (F. Smith). 
Pan-Pacif. Ent. 8:49-51. 1931. 
4 Fernald, H. T. The Digger Wasps of North America of the 
Genus Podalonia (Psammophila). Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus., Vol. 71, 
pp. 1-42. 1927. 
