The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-08-05
GIn ~GntdfQurer
once, NoD, 80 and ~ Fourteenth Street,
AMAsp,s INGENuITY.
1t Kills u Worm aud Aftcrward Bu-
rles 1t,

1t Kills u Worm ind Aftcrward Bu-
rles It,
Richmond, Va, Correspondence N. Y. Tribune,
A few days ago two men who were en-
ioying au outing came upon a green
worm which was slowly crawling across
the high road, As the walkers reached
the creature they saw the aiorsmsn-
toned black wasp swoop down upon It,
straddle 1t with It's four legs, put its arms
-or what were In the place Of arms
around the worms body near the head
and proceed to sting It several times,
first in the right side, then in the left.
The worm Writhed as II In crest pain,
and In ia struggles to escape the wasp
suddenly flew away,
The two men sat down beside the road
to await renewal of the strange conflict,
Soon the attacking party reappeared more
full OF fight than before. 1t was a piglny
fighting q giant, but the little creature
with thu sting had the advantage OF wings
and agility and weapons, and the worm
soon showed signs OF defeat, After three
more %onslaughts it Strengthened out its
pretty body, became rigid, quiyered and
died, The victor walked around the con-
quered foe three times, and after making
sure that death was not feigned, disap'
peared.
After the space Of q minute it returned
and proceeded to straddle the worm as at
lrst, putting its arms about the dead ami
NAL and lifting it's body from the ground,
1t was a wonderful aight, Tho wasp was
not more than three'quarters OF an inch
long, and its body in the thiCkest place
did not exceed one.sixth Of an inch
through. The worm was three and a half
inches long and one.third Of an inch in
diameter. And yet the wasp actually
lifted 1t up, and partially dragging, par.
TALLY carrying It, crossed the dusty road
aud travelled Tor some twenty PAGES
through the stubby grass and weeds. At
length a small clearing was reached, and
dragging It's burden to neal the centre Of
the spot, the wasp dropped 1t and ran
quickly around the place as Hin search Of
something. The something proved to be
a pebble OF the size Of o Robin egg hall
buried in the ground, Brushing the
loose earth away the wasp cast tile stone
aside, revealing in the ground q hole, into
which the smart creature Owed head fore.
most. 1t came up with an armful Of fresh
earth, and deposited 1t All inch from the
hole, went back after another and another
until a little mound began to grow beside
the front door Of the warriors castle. In
an incredibly short time the hole was per-
Ceptibly enlarged, and the mason, having
taken the measurement OF II, went to the
dead worm to see II 1t would enter, Salts
lied, tho insect caught the grub by the
head, aud, backing into the hole, pulled
the prey after 1t. But the worm was too
tight q tit, so out 1t came, the wasp push
ing it up with It's head. A little more
digging, another measurement and again
the worm was drawn in, this time until
only half an inch remained above ground.
Was there another entrance to the holeP
How could the wasp get out, or did 1t in-
tend 10 remain below The creature put
an end to doubts by squeezing out OF the
Same hole In which the worm was 90
tightly wedged. II was a hard job, but
successfully accomplished. Then began a
laughable butting process, in the course Of
which the half inCh OF wOrmabove ground
was gradually driven into the hole. When
quite in, tho wasp sprinkled fresh earth
Upon It, trampled it down carefully, re-
placed the pebble, drow some dry sur
lace earth around 1t and then hermetrl.
csily sealed the hole. This sealing was
evidently done to keep away other insects
or prowIels Of any kind. The wasp
gathered from q certain weed close by
something which 1t spread over the peb.
Bile, Repeated trips to tho uNmo weed
were made for this purpose, and though
the substance gathered was invisible,
there was no doubt OF It's use.
While the wasp was absent on one Of
these trips one Of the men placed q stick
upon the now well.hidden hole. The i'm.
patience, not 10 SAY wrath, with which the
insect tossed 1t aside, bodied NJ good to
any creature OF reasonable size who might
presume to interfere with tho storehouse
or burial ground. After the sealing, with
one good look around tho promises, this
wasp apread it's wings and disappeared,
leaving those who had watched the work.
manship unable to decide whether the
fighter and mason was endowed with In.
atinRt mr. rpnHnn.