Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-06-26
A SirRteSGtic Wasp.

Not long since, while riding be-
meath the shade of fir tree. our
attention was attracted l,y prc1i-
liar 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 a dirt danber, or builder,
one of the species of wasps 50 we'll
known for the cylindrical cases of
mud it builds under caves and OF
sheltered walls, which it stuffs full
OF certain worms and spiders for ft-
young. This wasp had half of its
body and head down the hole of
the equally we'll known doodlebus,
a worm which children pull out Of
their holes by teasing them with -
straw, until they grasp it with their
strong nippers and hold on mill
they are thrown ont. 1t was evil
dent at glance that the wasp had
gone down the hole of the dontile-
bug, and that the doodlebug s.sn
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 a noise
which might alarm his adversary.
The contest lasted full two minutes,
when finally the dirt-dauber came
out with Il jerk. lie flew but Il
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 reconnoitering
and laying his plans. Presently,
lighting at the mouth of the hole,
he tried the earth all about the ell
trance with the skill Of an engineer,
and selecting that which was driest
he began to scratch like a dog with
his toreteet, throwing the dust
rapidly backward into the hole
We watched with intense interest,
and could not but admire his pluck
and determination, for we imagined
this throwing of dust on his adver-
sary's head 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 operators. We ex-
pected 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 a strategic mode of attack
based upon the soundeat principles
of philosophy, reason, and IL
thorough knowledge of his advcr-
sary, and of the means he was
using to render his resistance
futile and make him an easy cap
tive.
BY throwing fine dust into the
hole the doodlebug would soon be
as it was necessary that
he should have fresh air, unless he
climbed upward, as he would do.
Whenever the worm worked up
ward to get his head above, tho fine
dust fell behind and below him,
and thus slowly clnsel up his hole,
until blinded with dust, he poked
his head out at the top. This was
the point aimed at, and tho mo-
ment 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 sa-
gacity, 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 III five inches OF dust, and put
his formidable adversary complete
ly at his mercy.
The most skillful engineers, Tod
leben or Beauregard, could not
have thrown up carthworks with Il
profoundcr calculation than this
natural engineer.