Wasps and their ways . THE MASONS 203 wasp got throug-h with it, perhaps with aview to strengthening the whole, thoughsometimes the cells were distinct, as at firstmade, with pretty braided roofs. For themud was laid on in strips, first one sideand then the other, giving a braided effectto the result. As soon as a cell was completed, it wasstocked with provisions and the openingshut up with a pellet of mud. The mud-dauber does not give her off-spring personal attention. She does notcome day after day and put food intoever-open mouths. Being quite alone inher maternal duties, she cannot possibl
Wasps and their ways . THE MASONS 203 wasp got throug-h with it, perhaps with aview to strengthening the whole, thoughsometimes the cells were distinct, as at firstmade, with pretty braided roofs. For themud was laid on in strips, first one sideand then the other, giving a braided effectto the result. As soon as a cell was completed, it wasstocked with provisions and the openingshut up with a pellet of mud. The mud-dauber does not give her off-spring personal attention. She does notcome day after day and put food intoever-open mouths. Being quite alone inher maternal duties, she cannot possiblyrear her family and defend them after themanner of the Vesp^. She takes care ofthem, but it is after her own fashion. Shecatches spiders, and fills the little mudcell full. Upon one of the first caught, shedeposits an tg^. This is usually attachedto the succulent abdomen of the spider,and when the cell is as full as it can be, 204 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS. the end is sealed up, and the tgg left totake care of itself. The mud-dauber cannot store up activespiders, or the tables might very quicklybe turned, and Pelopasus tender offspringbecome converted into spider,instead of the reverse happen-ing as intended. So Pelopaeus catches herspider and stings it. Generallyshe does not kill it at once,but stings it enough to paralyse it; inwhich state it remains as fresh food forthe larva, though, truth to tell, that raven-ous infant does not seem to care muchv^hether its food is alive or not. it de-vours dead spiders as eagerly as livingones. Mother Pelopcneus has learned thetrick of stinging spiders to perfection:grasping her indignant and resentful prey,she thrusts her poisoned dart into its nervecentres so as to quiet it at once. Manypeople believe the wasps sting the insect
Size: 1694px × 1475px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyorkdoddmeadand
