The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1875-09-16
sraArKerc WASP,

Not long since, while resding beneath
The shade Of a hg tree. our atteatlon was
attracted by q peculiar loud and shriil
buzziug sound, as Of some Of the bee fam
4 as Ia distress. Looking In the direction
OF the noise, We observed quite close TO
us diri.dauber, or builder, one Of the
species Of wAsps 80 well known for the
cylindrical case Of mud Il builds under
caves and sheltered wslls, which il stats
fun of certain worms aud spiders for is
Young. This wasp bad half Of its body
aud head down the boie OF the equally
well known doodlcbug, worm which
children pun out Of their holes by teas
Ing them with straw until they grasp II
with their strong nippers and hold on
unit they are pulled out. II was evil
dent 1T glance that the wasp had gone
down the hole Of the doodlebug, and that
the doodlebug soon hsd him IN bis strong
grip at great disadvantage and where tie
wings Of the wasp were no advantage TO
him except TO make noise which might
alarm his adversary. The contest lasted
fully two minutes, when the dirt-dauber
came out with a jerk. He flew bat
few inches from the hole, lit upon the
ground, rubbed his head, and fairly
danced with pain
Iu few moments be recovered from
the effects OF his wounds, and began max
ing short circles over 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 backward into the hole.
We watched with intense interest, aud
could not but admire his pluck and de-
termination, for we imagine this throw
ing OF dust on bis adyersary's head was
only to provoke him TO q fresh fight.
Every now and then he would stop aud
take cautions peep down the hole TO OBJ
serve the effect OF his operations. We
expected every moment to see him de-
scend and make another attack, but il
soon became manifest that such was not
his intention, and It gradually dawned
upon us that be had strategic mode of
attack based upon the soundest princi-
Piles of philosophy, reason and thor
ough knowledge Of his adversary, and Of
the means he was using to render bis re-
sstance futile and make him an easy cap
tive.
BY throwing fne dust into the hole
the doodlebug would soon be smothered,
as il was necessary that he should have
free air, unless he climbed upward, as he
would do. Whenever the worm worked
upward TO get his head above, the Gne
dust fell behind and below him, and thus
closed up his hole, until, blinded with
dust, be poked his head out at tho top.
This was the point aimed at, and the mo-
ment be showed his head above, the
wasp pounced upon him, seized him by
the neck, drew him up, gathered him In
bis arms and flew off in triumph, though
the worm was much the larger OF the
two. Struck with amazement at the sa-
gacity, science, skill, and engineering
ability of the dirt.daubcr, we carefully
sounded the hole, and found that in the
course of five minutes this reasoning in
sect had filled in five inches OF dust, and
put his formidable adversary completely
at his mercy.
The most skillful engineers, Todleben
or Beanregard, could not have thrown up
earthworks with profounder calcuIa-
ton than this natural engineer.