SPHEGIDvE. 
205 
the head very small : it becomes sordid-grey before maturity, when 
it measures about 14 m.m. Larval life occupies about 13 days, the 
Fig. 112.— SCELIPHRON MADRASPATANUM -INCOMPLETE NEST. 
full length being attained on the sixth day. There are apparently no 
moults during larval life, the extremely soft and unchitinised integu¬ 
ment not preventing expansion as in harder insects. The full-grown 
larva ejects a mass of black excreta at the bottom of the cell and then 
spins a tough cocoon of very fine yellow silk which turns dark brown. 
It rests for three to six days and then moults, placing the exuvium at 
the bottom of the cocoon where it often adheres to the hind end of 
the pupa. The limbs of the future wasp are 
symmetrically folded under the body and are 
free, being easily seen. The pupa gradually 
assumes the imaginal colour and on the 
twelfth or thirteenth day the imago emerges ; 
it cuts the cocoon and forces out the plug of 
mud that 1 closes the cell, thus forming a 
circular orifice through which it can leave the 
cell. The total life from egg to imago is from 
24 to 30 days, nest-making then occupies some 
time and there are probably five broods in one 
Hibernation takes place in the larval condition. 
Fig. 113.—SCELIPHRON 
MADRASPATANUM. 
year in the plains. 
