The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-08-14
A Wasp's Ingenuity.

across the high road. AS the walkers
reached the creature they saw the
aforementioned black wasp swOop
down upon it, straddle it with its
four legs, put its arms-or what were
in the place of arms-around the
worms body near the head and pro-
coed to sting il 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 few away.
The two men sat down beside the
road 10 await a renewal of the strange
conflict. Soon the attacking party
reappeared, more full of fight than
before. 1t was pigmy fighting a
giant, but the little creature with the
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,
quivered and died. The victor walk
ed around the conquered foe three
times, and after making sure that
death was not feigned, disappeared.
After the space of minute IL re-
turned and proceeded to straddle the
worm as at first, putting its arms
about the dead animal and lifting its
body from the ground. 1t was a won.
derful 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 partially
dragging, partially carrying it, eros.
sed the dusty road and travelled for
some twenty PAGES through the stub
bly, grass and weeds. At length q
small clearing was reached, and drag
ging it's 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 of the size of
robbin egg half buried in the ground.
Brushing the loose earth away the
wasp cast the stone aside, revealing
in the ground hole, into which the
smart creature dived head foremost
1t came up with an armful of fresh
earth, and deposited it an inch from
the hole, went back after another and
another until little mound began to
grow beside the front door of the
worriOr's castle. In an incredibly
short time the hole was perceptibly
enlarged, and the mason, having
taken the measurement of it, went to
the dead worm to see if it would en-
ter. Satisfied, the insect caught the
grub by the head, and, backing into
the hole, pulled the prey after it. But
the worm was too tight a fit, so out
it came. the wasp pushing it up with
lis head. A little more digging, an
other measurement and again the
worm was drawn in, this time until
only half an inch remained above
ground. Was there another entrance
to the hole? How could the wasp
get out, or did it intend to remain be.
low? The creature put an end to
doubts by squeezing out of the same
hole in which the worm was so tight
ly wedged. 1t was hard job, but
successfully accomplished. Then be-
gan a 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 pebble, drew some drv sur
face earth around it and then hermet-
REALLY sealed the hole. This sealing
was evidently 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 pebble Repeated
trips to the same weed were made for
this purpose, and though the sub
stance 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 upon the now well.hidden hole.
The Impotence. not to say wrath,
with which the insect tossed it aside,
BODIED no good to any creature of
reasonable size who might presume
to interfere with the storehouse or
burial ground. After the sealing.
with one good look around the prem
ises. this wasp spread its wings and
disappeared, leaving those who had
watched the workmanship unable to
decide whether the fighter and mason
was endowed with instinct or reason.