THE CULTIVATOR. 
269 
1848. 
displayed than when a grasshopper falls into his net. 
The moment the spider discovers his game, he decides 
on his course, which must be governed by the relative 
strength of the parties. If the grasshopper is very 
large, compared with the spider, the latter, on the 
principle that u prudence is the better part of valor,” 
instantly cuts the threads of his net as closely as possi¬ 
ble to the trespasser, and lets him escape with as little 
damage as possible to the premises. But if the grass¬ 
hopper is not too large, the spider soon stops his kick¬ 
ing by the numerous coils which he throws around him 
with astonishing rapidity, taking care to bind strongly, 
the long iegs of his prisoner, lest by their use he should 
spring from the web, or tear it asunder in his struggles. 
The largest spiders make the strongest webs, and are 
generally able to manage any insects that fall into them. 
But the spider finds a powerful and uncompromising 
enemy in several species of the mason-wasp. The 
latter insect is well known from forming habitations for 
its young of mud or mortar, which is attached to the 
underside of the roofs of out-buildings, and other shel¬ 
tered places. The cells in which the young are hatched 
and reared, are from an inch and a-half to two inches 
in length; arranged parallel to each other, each distinct 
and separate internally, but attached together by their 
outward surface. There are sometimes from four to 
six of them in a row. When the earthen house is com¬ 
pleted, except the closing of the upper end of the long 
cells, which is done by a single lump of mortar to each, 
the female wasp deposites an egg at ihe bottom of each 
cell, and then proceeds to fill the cells with spiders, 
which are plastered in, their bodies constituting the 
food of the young wasp during its larva state, or till it 
passes through its transitions, and comes out a perfect 
wasp. 
No particular selection is made as to the species of 
spiders—any being taken that can be crowded into the 
cells. They are put in alive too, and the labor of in¬ 
carceration is by no means inconsiderable. I have re¬ 
peatedly witnessed the efforts of both insects on the 
occasion. Sometimes the spider was so large, that a 
little exertion of its legs would render it difficult for the 
wasp to thrust it down the cell; but the work was al¬ 
ways accomplished, though the amputation of the spi¬ 
der’s legs sometimes became necessary. 
Other species of the mason-wasp fill their cells with 
worms, instead of spiders. Doctor Harris has lately 
described one, which he calls the potter-wasp, that fills 
its cells with canke -worms, which it thrusts in alive, 
“ endwise,”—five “ full-grown ” ones being put into 
each cell. Dr. H. remarks that if the worms were 
killed before they were imprisoned, they would become 
putrid before the young wasps were hatched; and the 
same may be said in regard to the spiders. 
All the mason-wasps are exceedingly bold asd rapa¬ 
cious, and seize their prey with surprising celerity— 
pouncing upon it with almost the quickness of lightning, 
and disabling it by a single blow, or probably by a 
thrust of its venomous sting. The subtle art of the 
spider avails little against so powerful an adversary, 
and he generally yields on the first onset. 
The large blue-black mason-wasp, with beautiful 
purple wings, attacks and kills the largest grasshop¬ 
pers, crickets and cockroaches, besides occasionally 
showing his Herculean prowess in slaying the large 
black spider of the forest, whose fangs are like black¬ 
smiths’ pincers, and whose body, covered with bristly 
hairs, would be thought safe from the attacks of any 
common enemy. I once witnessed a combat between 
a mason-wasp and such a spider as I have just describ¬ 
ed. The spider, though vigorous and active at first, 
soon appeared as if struck with paralysis, and though 
pot dead, could make no effort to repel its conquering 
ioe. As soon as the spider ceased its exertions, the 
wasp attempted to drag it under a piece of bark; but 
the weight was too great for the strength of the wasp 
-—it could scarcely move the body of its victim. 
Last summer, I saw one of the black mason-wasps, 
attack and kill one of the largest of the green-grass¬ 
hoppers. By cutting off the grasshopper’s long legs, 
he was quickly disabled. The wasp then excavated a 
hole in the ground, into which it rolled the carcase of 
the grasshopper, and buried it. 
The aphis, or plant-louse frequently inflicts serious 
damage on the products and plants of the field and gar¬ 
den. Almost every kind of plant has its peculiar spe¬ 
cies of this insect. It possesses extraordinary pow¬ 
ers of reproduction—-nine generations, according to na¬ 
turalists, being produced from a single impregnation. 
Their increase is therefore rapid almost beyond com¬ 
prehension, and from only a few in the early part of the 
season, they soon swarm in innumerable numbers. All 
sorts of young fruit-trees, roses, and garden vegetables 
of different kinds, are sometimes overrun with them. 
They suck the juices from the fresh and tender leaves, 
which soon checks the growth of the plants—producing 
mildew and blight. 
On the plants which are infested with the aphis, 
there is frequently seen various other kinds of insects, 
such as ants, flies, bees, the spotted lady-bird (or bug,) 
&c. Many people suppose that the object of all these 
insects is the same, that is, to feed on the plant or its 
juices; but their objects are only similar in one respect 
,—all seek their food, though the food of the different., 
races is quite dissimilar. All the aphis family excrete 
certain tubes through the posterior parts of their body, 
a sweet substance sometimes called honey-dew , of which 
many other insects are very fond. The ants, bees and 
flies are in search of this, and the former show great 
sagacity in obtaining it. They touch the aphides with 
their antennae, which causes them to void the sweet 
drop, and it is instantly swallowed by the ants. From 
the constant attendants of ants in the manner descri¬ 
bed, the aphides have been called i( the ants’ cows.” 
The larva of the lady-bird, and the larva of several 
species of syrphidian flies, feed on the bodies of the 
aphides, and in many instances devour great numbers 
of them. Few farmers or gardeners are aware of the 
great benefit they derive from these rapacious little 
animals. The past summer, some currant-bushes and 
snow-ball trees were shown me that were literally cov¬ 
ered with aphides. On close examination among the 
aphides I discovered a few of the larva of the lady-bird 
and a species of syrphus. As there were but few of 
these, I concluded they had but just discovered their 
prey. They continued to increase from day to day 
and the aphides soon began to diminish, till in a week’s 
time, scarcely one of the latter could be found. 
Provided with a good magnifying-glass, I watched 
the movements of the aphis-eaters. The larva of the 
lady-bird and thjd syrphus, kept up a constant slaughter. 
The former seized the aphide with its long forceps, 
and soon sucked out their vitals, leaving nothino- but a 
thin shell, whic\i it threw away. One cf them was 
seen to devour half a dozen aphides in the space of five 
minutes, and a similar destruction seemed to be kept 
up by all. The syrphus was attached to the leaf by a 
glutinous substance, in the midst of the aphides, from 
which position it constantly supj l ed i self with victims. 
Had not this article been extended to (perhaps) an un¬ 
due length, I would have given more particular descrip, 
tions of these predatory tribes. I trust, however, that 
what has been said may serve to show the importance 
of knowing the habits of insects, that we may, espe¬ 
cially, be able to 
s - Distinguish which to slaughter, which to spare.” 
In a future number, I propose to give drawings of 
some of the species referred to. 
