Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-09-24
A Strategic Wasp.

Not long since, while reading
beneath the shade of a fg-tree, our
attention was attracted by peculiar,
loud and shrill buzzing sound, as of
some one of the bee family in dis
tress. Looking in the direction of
the noise we observed quite close
to us a 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 body and
head down the hole of the equally
welI-know doodlebug, worm which
children pull out of their holes by
teasing them with straw until they
grasp it with their strong nippers
and hold on until they are thrown
out. 1t was evident at glance that
the wasp had gone down the hole of
tbe doodlebug, and that the doodle
bug soon had him in his strong grip
at a great disadvantage, and where
the wings of the wasp were of no
advantage to him except to make a
noise which might alarm his adYer-
sary. The contest lasted full two
minutes, when finally the dirt-dauber'
came out with a jerk. He flew but a
few inches from the hole, lit upon
the ground, rubbed his head and
fairly danced with pain.
In few moments he recovered
from the effects of his wounds and
began making short circles over the
hole, evidently xeconnoitering and
laying his plans. Presently, lighting
at the mouth of the hole, he tried
the earth all about the entrance with
the skill of an engineer, and select
ing that which was driest he began
to scratch like a dog with his fore
feet throwing the dust rapidly back
ward into the hole. We watched
with intense interest and could not
but admire his pluck and determina-
ton, for we imagined this throwing
of dust on his adyersary'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 mo-
ment to see him descend and make
another attack, but it soon became
manifest that such was not his inten-
ton, aSd it gradually dawned upon
us that he had strategic mode Of
attack based upon the soundest prin-
eiples of philosophy, reason and a
knowledge of his adversary
and of the means he was using to
render his resistance futile and make
him an easy captive.
By throwing fine dust into the
hole the doodlebug would soon be
smothered, as it was necessary that
he should have free air, unless he
upward, as he would do.
Whenever the worm worked upward
70 get his head above, the fine dust
feH behind and below him, and thus
SLOWLY G1OSeQ up SAS ASAS3 NN-l
blinded with dust, he poked his head
ont 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 leek,
drew him up, gathered him in his
armes and flew off in triumph, though
the worm was much the larger Of
the two. Struck with amazement ct
.he sagacity, science, skill and en-
gineering ability of the dirt-dauber,
We carefully sounded the hole and
,oHad thatt in the course of tve
minutes this reasoning insect had
illed in ave inches of dust and put
lis Formidable \. 1versary completely
It his mercy.
The most skillful engineers, Iodle-
zen or Beauregard, could NOT have
brown up earthworks with a pro-
ounder calculation than this natural
ngineer.-Ne1o Orleans Co-opera-
i've NelnS