The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-28
A Smart Wasp,


A Smart Wasp.
A Richmond (Va.) letter to the New
York Tribune contains the following in
teresting story of insect life:
A few days ago two men who were en-
joying an outing came upon a green
worm which was slowly crawling across
the highroad. As the walkers reached
the creature they saw the aforementioned
black wasp swoop down upon it, strad
die it with its 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 if in great pain
and in its 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 attack
ing party reappeared, more full of fight
than before. 1t was pigmy fighting
giant, but the little creature with the
sting had the advantage of wings, agility
and weapons, and the worm soon showed
signs of defeat. After three more on
slaughts it straightened out its pretty
body, became rigid, quivered and died.
The victor walked around the conquered
foe three times, and after making sure
that death was not feigned, disappeared.
After the space of minute it returned
and proceeded to straddlc the worm as at
first, putting its arms about the dead
animal and lifting it bodily from the
ground. 1t was wonderful sight. The
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 it up and partly
dragging, partly carrying it, crossed the
dusty road and travelled some twenty
PAGES through the stubby grass and
weeds. At length small Clearing was
reached, and dragging its burden to near
the centre of the spot the wasp dropped
it and ran quickly around the place as if
in search of something. The something
proved to be pebble the size of robin
egg half buried in the ground. Brushing
the loose earth away the wasp cast the
stone aside, revealing in the ground a
hole into which the smart creature dived
head foremost. 1t came up with an arm
full of fresh earth, and depositing it an
ZACH from the hole went back after an
other and another until little mound
began to grow beside the front door of
the warriors castle. In an incredibly
short time the hole was perceptibly en-
larged, aud the mason, having taken the
measurement of it, went to the dead worm
to see if it would enter. Satisfied, the
insect caught the grub by the head, and
backing into the hole pulled the prey
aftei it. But the worm was too tight a
fit, so out it came, the wasp pushing it up
with its head. A little more dig
ging, another measurement and
again the worm was drawn in;
this time until only half an inch remained
above ground. Was there another en-
trance to the hole How would the
wasp get out, or did it intend to remain
below2 The creature put an end to
doubts by squeezing out of the same hole
in which the worm was so tightly wedged.
1t was hard job but successfully &C.
complished. Then began laughable
butting process in the course of which
the half-inch of worm above ground was
gradually driven into the hole. When
quite in the wasp sprinkled fresh earth
upon it, trampled it down carefully, re-
placed the p:bble, drew some dry surface
earth around it, and then hermetically
sealed the hole. This sealing was evil
dently done to keep away other insects
or providers of any kind. The wasp
gathered from a certain weed close by
something which it spread over the peb.
BILE. Repeated trips to the same weed
were made for this purpose, and though
the substance so gathered was invisible
there was no doubt of its Use.
While the wasp was absent on one OF
these trips one of the men placed stick
uron the now well hidden hole. The
impatience, not to say wrath, with which
the insect tossed it aside bodea no good
to any creature Of rea: enable size which
might presume to interfere with the store
house or burial ground. After the seal
ing, with one good look around the
premises, this clever wasp spread its
wings and disappeared, leaving those
who had watched the workmanship un-'
able to decide whether the fighter and
mason was endowed with instinct or
reason.