Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-03-18
AN INSECT EPISODE.
The Wasp, the Locust and the
HOver-Fly.

Day. with One or Two MoraIIzing Re
Elections Attached.
TO the Editor Of The PhUnir:-A pc
rusal of Bulletin 60 Of the Vermont Elk
pertinent station recently served to recall
to memory an insect episode of the last
summer which may prove interesting to
some of your readers.
While returning from a short walk my
attention was diverted from an unfamiliar
blossom ! held to the queer behavior of
steely-blue wasp, who, IN the middle of the
dusty highway, like Millions Lucifer, SEEM
ed to he threading the crude consistence
half on foot, half flying The fussy por-
ter was dragging an unresisting road To-
Gust head foremost through FOOTPRINT and
wheel rut, up rather steep incline, now
assisting the action of its legs by the rapid
vibration of its wings and again tumbling
pell nell with its prey into some deeper
hoof print, but never for an instant relax
ing its hold. As its course was dagonally
across the Travelled way and toward tn
footpath | was pursuing, | turned my at
tenton from the insect to the path side to
see. if possible, its destination: for, hav-
ing previously found parayzed katydids
associated with wasp larva in the crevices
of shiugled roofs | at once began 20 sus-
a
up the slope a little hllock of freshly ex-
cavated earth pellets drew nv attention to
the miniature tunnel under a stone, near
which stood a smaller wasp of the same
species, evidently "a shareholder in the
mine, but who, with the timidity of Capital.
took wing and disappeared at my approach
| Not so did Labor's sturdy representative,
who for the next half -hour allowed me to
! superintend its operations as it alternately
| worked at enlarglng the excavation and
! searched for the locust, which | neglected
at least ten times to return TO the centre of
/ the tuft of scanty grass where its captor
| had left it, a foot or so from the hole
/ The locust proved rare windfall none
| the less. as "A study in anesthesia ut being
stung in such manner as to render it in
capable of voluntary motion than as an il
| lustration of perfect mechanical adoption
its hind feet being double iointed for all
/ the world like the 'ioat' with which an
1 accommodating shoe-dealer removes pro
, truding pegs or. as a hitherto unappreclat-
ed source of esthetIc enjoyment, as gently
lifted its mud -colored wing cases. and un-
furled to my admirlng vision its beautiful
grayish wings, bordered with lemon yellow
7 felt sorry for its helpless condition. and
finding that II could still kick feebly when
touched its hind feet while holding it
head downward, ! for once put it back in
the right place, when the wasp left her dig
ging to take dimensions, placing it heels
/ uppermost in the grass, and had the salts
faction of seeing the engineer hoist with
his own petard ia other words get kicked
ky-high Mean lille, | perceived that
was not the sole spectator Of this tragedy
of the wayside Almost ON the instant OF
the wa.ps arrival, If lured by the scent
of 'etherized locust, two tiny hover flies -
had come and alighted on two grass stems
within six niche, of the excavation, and,
rs the wasp burrowed herself gradually out
of sight, the more iuqulsitive of the pair
,whom decided must toe Madame Hover
ilyi several times flew to the tunnel en-
trance and whisked inside, whence she
would emerge the next instant with ludi-
crous haste and fly to her grassy tower, as
the wasp came toiling up the slope back
wards, her forelegs clasped around a bun
die OF dirt, after depositing which she
would polish her eye-lepses with the same
convenient members, give more energetic
buzz than while at work, and wave her
antennu violently in the direction of hel
late visitor, a. who should say. III yol
think OF taking stock in this enterprise
Madame, would be happy TO show yoI
, over the works right now, while my spec
tacl.. are in seeing order" Meantime Ar
absurd yellow spider. with green legs. be
ran To fix sundry guy robes to support ,
net 10 the grass stems. on and uear which
sat my little associates and as she occasion
aIly drove one ar other of them from
its'perrb | faucied She apologi2ed. in spi
darese. and uointed out the proximity Of iii,
new butcher shop AS sufficient excuse fol
such rudeness The wasp. having complet
q g the hole. dragged the locust herein an,
remained concealed with its prey about ,
minnie. while air and soil resounded Will
III, satisfied buz2ings and cummings. like ,
: telephoue mole before a storm. while tn,
impatient hv dared venture no further
than the tomb's entrance.
In A short time found occasion To cove
: the WASH, multi yisioned eve. lenses. for. OF
p il, emerging from the hole and starting a
, n RIM down the path was constrained t,
follow. when | should like to have kept in
/, formed of the proceedings of the flies Tn
, hunter "tlushed" a second road locust with
in n very few wards. rose on the win
y above it, bounced like falcon upon It
, prey. and in an instant both were strup
- Tim, in the dust at nearly the same 500
in the road where first saw ANYTHING uu
r common II seemed to- me the was
n checked the Iocust's flight by mere impae
, and ENHANCEMENT and did not use i,
n sting until on the ground. but. as | had n
I opportunity Of examining the second ca,
) ture merely infer from the locust's subs,
,,ant babaIior that the wash stung !