Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-11-05
A Strategic Wasp.


Not long since, while reading be-
meath the shade Of a fig tree, our at
tention was attracted by a peculiar,
loud and shrill buzzing sound, as of
some one OF the bee family in dis
tress. Looking in the direction ofthe
noise, we observed quite close to us
dirt-dauber, 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. This wasp
had half of its head down the hole Of
the equally well known doodlebug, a
worm which children pull out of their
holes by teasing them with a straw
until they grasp it with their strong
nippers 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 disadvantage,
and where the wings of the wasp
were of no advantage to him, except
to make noise, which might alarm
his adversary. The contest lasted
full ten minutes, when finally the
dirt-dauber came out with a jerk.
He flew but 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 plaus. Presently lighting
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 the driest, he began
to scratch like dog with his fore
feet, throwing the dust rapidly back
into the hole We watched with in
tense interest, and could but admire
his pluck and determination, for we
imagine this throwing 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 a
cautious peep down the hole to OBJ
serve the effect of his operations.
We expected every moment to see
him descend and make another attack
but it soon became manifest that
such was not his intention, and it
gradually dawned upon us that he
had strategic mode of attack based
upon the soundest principles of phil
osophy, reason, and thorough
knowledge of his adversary and the
means he was using to render his re-
sistance turtle and making him an
easy captive.
BY throwing fine dust into the hole
the doodlebug would soon be smoth-
cred, as it was necessary that he
should have free air, unless he climb
ed upward as he would do. When
ever the worm worked upward to
get his head above, the fine dust fell
behind and below him, and thus
closed up the hole, until, blended
with dust, he poked his head out at
the top. This was the point aimed
at, and the moment he showed his
head above, the wasp pounced upon
him, seized him by the neck, drew
him up, gathered him in his arms
and flew off in triumph, though the
worm was much the larger of the
two. Struck with amazement at the
sagacity, science, skill, and engineer
ing ability of the dirt-dauber, we
carefully sounded the hole, and found
that in the course of five minutes
this reasoning insect had filled in 5
inches of dust, and put his formidab e
adversary completely at his mercy.
The most skillful engineers, loot
leben or Beauregard, could not have
thrown up earth-works with pro-
founder calculation than this natural
engineer.