7 8 Some Solitary Wasps of Texas. 
■ 
No. 5. — Locust kicked violently when irritated as long as Oct. 10 
* iiough larva was 7 mm. long and half as thick. (The larva after a 
ifew days is shorter, though very much thicker, than the egg when 
laid). Larva spun cocoon a. m. Oct 13. 
No. 6. — Same as No. 5. 
No. 7. — Very small locust was dead when found for larva was 
itself nearly as large as its victim; locust devoured Oct. 11; very 
small cocoon spun Oct. 12. 
No. 8. — Large locust dead ; large larva reaching into thorax. Co- 
coon spun a. m. Oct. 13. 
No. 9. — Locust dead; devoured Oct. 11. Oct. 12 larva tried to 
spin cocoon but failed and died. 
From these data it would seem that there were three sets of grass- 
hoppers according to the age of the egg& or larvae upon them. The 
facts go to show that the first three were captured Oct. 9. No. 4 
might possibly also have been captured and stored early the same 
day, though more probably late the day before ; Nos. 5 and 6 were 
certainly stored Oct. 8th. Nos. 7, 8 and 9 were stored Oct. 7. Thus 
this P. Thomae accomplished the feat of digging in hard soil and 
provisioning three nests a day for three days in succession. It is 
also significant that all these nests were made in such close proxim- 
ity. The locusts were all of the same species and were, in all cases 
but one, I have reason to believe, entombed alive and lived until 
killed by the wasp-larvae themselves. 
In many of her ways Priononyx Thomae reminds one of Ammo- 
phila in her general demeanor; in running in and out of her nest 
while engaged in its excavation; in the shape of her nest; in the 
manner of carrying her prey, in laying it down at the entrance and 
backing inside to pull it after her; in closing the nest and pressing 
pebbles down upon it as if to add some finishing touches intended to 
be ornamental as well as useful. 
