Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-09-20
A STRATEGIC WASP.

Not long since, while reading beneath
the shade of fig tree, our attention was
attracted by peculiar loud and shrill
buzzing sound, as of some one of the
bee family in distress. Looking in the
direction of the noise we observed quite
close to US dirtdauber, or builder. one
Of the species of wasps SO well known for
the cylindrical cases of mud it builds
under caves and on sheltered walls,
which it stuffs full of certain worms and
spiders for its young. The wasp had
half of its body and head down the hole
of the equally well-known doodle-bug,
worm which children pull out of their
holes by teasing them with straw un-
til they grasp it with their strong nip
pers and hold on until they are thrown
out. 1t was evident at a glance that
the wasp had gone down the hole of the
doodlebug, and that the doodlebug soon
had him in his strong grip at great dis
advantage and where the wings of the
wasp were of no advantage to him ex-
cept to make noise which might alarm
his adversary. The contest lasted full
two minutes, when finally the dirtdaub-
er came out with jerk. He few but
a few inches from the hole, lit upon the
ground, rubbed his head, and fairly
danced with pain. In a few moments
he recovered from the effects of his
wounds and began making short circles
over the hole. evidently reconnoitering
and laying his plans. Presently. light
ing at the mouth of the hole, he tried
the earth all about the entrance with
the skill of an engineer, and selecting
that which was driest he began to scratch
like dog with his fore feet, throwing
the dust rapidly backward into the hole.
We watched with intense interest, and
could not but admire his pluck and de-
termination, for we imagined this throw
ing of dust on his adversary's head was
only to provoke him to a fresh fight
| Every now and then he would stop and
take cautious peep down the hole to
observe the effect of his operations. We
expected every moment to see him de-
scend and make another attack, but it
gradually dawned upon us that he had
strategic mode of attack based upon
the sOundest philosophy, reason and a
thorough knowledge of his adversary.
By throwing dust into the hole the doo-
dlebug would soon be smothered, as il
was necessary that they should have
free air, unless he climbed upward, as
he would do. Whenever the worm
worked upward to get his head above
the fine dust fell behind and below him
and thus closed up his hole, until, blind
cd with dust, he poked his head out a
the top. This was the point aimed at
and the moment he showed his heaC
above, the wasp pounced upon him
seized him by the neck, drew him up
gathered him in his arms and few of
in triumph, though the worm was mucf
the larger of the two. Struck witt
amazement at the sagacity, science, skill
and engineering ability of the dirtdaub
er, We carefully sounded the hole, anc
found that in the course of FIVE minute
this reasoning insect had filled in fv1
inches of dust and put his formidable
adversary completely at his mercy. Th,
most skillful engineers, Todleben o
Beauregard, could not have thrown VI
earthworks with profunder calculation
than this natural engineer.-NeaO Or
leans NcaoS.