The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-17
'ormer insect makes when digging her

hole.
One June day, saw Mrs. Caterpil.
lar killer take smooth skinned. whitish
caterpillar from under squash vine,
and carry him across little potato
patch in business like style. l knew
what was coming, but I.was afraid that
Mrs. Caterpillar killer had dug her bur-
row in patch of marigolds near the fence
where ! might find it difficult to see the
burial. But no. just before reaching
the marigolds, she came to her burrow,
and there she buried her caterpillar, he
being backward. Some of the earth she
kicked on backwards, and some she
brought in her jaws. Mrs. Caterpillar
killer does not however, walk backward
when carrying her victim. After this
burial, the present Mrs. G. flew up into
the marigolds, which we're in bloom, and
began to get her dinner from them.
have seen this kind of an insect taking
a meal from the pink flowers of the dew
plant. and tasting. thought, of blue for.
get-me nots, SO Mrs. Caterpillar killer
has variety in her menu. Either Mrs.
Caterpillar killers eyes are good in dis
corning colors, or her sense of smell is
keen, for she goes directly to each pink
dew plant blossom, with no more hesita-
ton than bee would have.
"Quee-ee quee ee, quee,' and so on. is
somewhat the sound Of Mrs. Caterpillar
killers joints as she digs her hole. That
is, the inference is the noise is made by
her joints. The sound is 30 distinguish
able that. if near by. the attention of a
person may be first drawn by the creak-
ing to notice the presence of the insect.
l have found Mrs. Caterpillar killer dig
ging in June and July. though she prob
ably plies her trade at other times. In
digging her hole, Mrs. Caterpillar killer
hobs out backward with the earth. kick
ing it back of her into pile, l have
seen her dig hole 80 deep that she was
invisible to me, yet l could hear her
creaking as she worked. l have never,
however. seen her bury a hairy cater
pillar, nor do think she doss so. Her
victims are white, smooth skinned cat
erpillars. the larvae of moths, presumably
easier victims for her sting than hairy
caterpillars would be. the hairs having
tendency to turn away the sting.
Mrs. Caterpillar killers eyes must be
sharp for victims, for she will find one
where the spectator perhaps has not OBJ
served anything. / have seen her carry
ing a caterpillar considerably longer
than herself and yet helpless in the
grasp of the determined Mrs. Caterpillar
killer. Having arrived at the hole. Mrs.
Caterpillar killer-as I once observed
goes down into it, reaches up, grasps
the caterpillar, pulls him in, comes up
after little, and if the caterpillar shows
from on top of the ground, perhaps
pushes him farther in, then rushes at
pieces of earth. picks them up and puts
them on, kicks on dirt, seizes hold of
little Jumps, and finishes the grave, all
with the utmost earnestness.
One July I was attracted by the
squeaks of Mrs. Caterpillar killer. who
was digging hole under an apple tree.
A second one of these insects was there
also. One of the creatures having
probably finished her hole, then ran
nervously about as if in search of some
victim. Not finding what she wanted,
she took wing and flew over the fence.
/ put my little hand microscope over
the hole, and being called away by WIS.,
itor. left the microscope there. When
I came back, one of the two Mrs. Cater
pillar killers was under the tree. OF
course, could not tell whether she was
the rightful owner Of the hole or not.
but seeing her begin to dig little and
then give it up, took away the micro
scope. She soon found the hole, went
in, dug little. and then flew over the
fence. Thinking that she regarded her
hole as finished, and might come back
with victim. l waited for perhaps half
an hour. But Mrs. Caterpillar killer did
not return. Perhaps, somewhere over the
other side Of the board fence, she had
found caterpillar, and had been unable
to drag him over to the grave prepared
for him. l do not think Mrs. Caterpillar
killer usually leaves finished burrow
untitled. Perhaps my presence with the
microscope discouraged this Mrs. Cater
pillar killer. Possibly she was not the
rightful owner of the hole, though
think she was.
The liveliness exhibited by Mrs. Cat
erpillar killer is. l think. Characters
tic of insect captors, although it would
seem that Mrs. Caterpillar killer need
not be quite so lively person as Mrs.
Spider killer. judging from the difference
in the prey Of these two ladies. One
can see the necessity of liveliness in a
creature that proposes to catch a spider,
and bury him for the good of her de-
scendants, but it would seem as though
an insect of less bright, lively ways
might easily take possession of the stu
pid, white moth-larva and bury it.
Nevertheless. Mrs. Caterpillar killer is
as lively and "chipper" in her appear.
ance as though she had less sluggish
victims in view