New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
LESSONS IN NATURE STUDY.
A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION
ABOUT THE MUD DAUBER.
HOW THE HOUSES ARE BUILT. FOOD STORED
AND THE BABY INSECTS REARED

HOW THE HOUSES ARE BUILT FOOD STORED
AND THE BABY INSECTS REARED
AND CARED FOR.
The approach OF wasp invariably calls forth
uncomplimentary expletives and his departure 10
generally assisted with speed. n not How
ever. these unwelcome creatures are ore OF the
most interesting species OF the insect order.
s. Frank Aaron. In The Philadelphia Times"
says that by far the most interesting group OF the
Insect order is the great family OF wssps. hornetA
bees and ants including II does. the most saga
cious OF al six footed creatures. They pursue many
OF the trades Of man. for we find among them
paper makers. carpenters. masons. mound builders
and excavators Many Of them such as the bees,
the ants and the hornets social In their habits
and live together I'm large colonies.
Most of the wasps are either solitary or live .
few together. None Of them. not even the paper
nest wasps. surpass the mud daubers. mud nest
builders, in the ingenuity and completeness Of
their work. constructing their nests. walls roof and
floor. and at last sealing up TN. door. all with the
same materlal-nost clay.
The mud daubers Of severa. kinds differing
widely In size, color and form. The smaller species
make little jugke balls Of clay. hung 10 branches
or ;wigs OF bush or vine each containing one cell
and one baby wasp. Others construct larger nests,
having many cells, each inhabited by a grub. But
our common muo daubers familiar to ali jewellers
In the country. are the two larger species the
steel blue, the other dark brown. with yellow
markings
Their nests, like many rough cast or unhewn
stone houses of mans construction. have a crude
and unattractive outside appearance, but inside
they neatly finished each cell being smoothly
and evenly rounded, and sometimes lined with silk.
All this is especially true OF the blue wasp. Its
brown cousin makes some attempt at outside
decoration Of its nest placing the layers OF clay In
narrow strips, alternating with each other at the
ends and always running dagonally. but frequently
without inside silk lining.
Ihese nests are constructed entirely lor tns
benefit OF the helpless young. the parents never
labors upon the nest with the most painstsking
care. places an egg in each cell stores the cell with
suitable food. seas it up safe against intruders
and from that moment, strange 10 say, never seeS
her offspring again
SPIDER CATCHING OCCUPATION
The food stored within the cell consists exs
clusively Of spiders When the egg matches the
baby wasp feeds heartily upon the spider meat
grows rapidly. passes the long winter months In .
dormant state. and, with the returning spring. 10
transformed into a full grown wasp. 10 take up In
It's turn the labor OF nest building and spider
catching.
The spiders most frequently pursued and captured
by these wasps are the web builders. The bold
hunter makes no attempt to steal unawares upon
her prey. Flying from place 10 place, she explores
on foot the grass bushes, vines and fallen trees.
and though her buzzing wings and swift motions
should put every spider on its guard the boldness
only chance OF escape Is TO drop from the web and
hide In the tangle OF grass below, In the forlorn
hope of eluding It's pursuer.
In most cases the swift onslaught or the wasp
takes the spider unawares In Its web. Sometimes
the web is sufficiently strong to entange the wasp
the spider returns to find its dwelling sadly torn
and even entirely ruined by the fantic struggles
OF the intruder. a matter quickly remedied, now
| ever, by the industrious spinner.
Another spider often sought by our swift hunt.
Is the grassy web species, whose dew DesPan-
web ends In a funnel shaped tube or SILK Leading
down into the grassy jungle where the spider Hes
| I'm hiding. The dash OF the wasp often brings out
the spider hoping catch an unwary fly. but when
It its dreaded enemy II instantly returns TO the
| depth OF the funnel. often followed by the wasp
with a speed that the human eye can scarcely
trace. The light and fiimsy web seems To nave no
| power to entangie the active wasp
| Yet this spiders chances OF escape are prcDapiy
very fair for have seldom found its kind stored
| I'm The mud wasp's cells The little fence spider.
| which makes no web is another victim TO the mud
| escapes by darling into crevice
| Upon the instant of capturing It's victim. tnun
| dauber always brings It's sting into play, whcn. y
not at once fatal renders the spider helpless some
naturausts have asserted that the wasp uirec,s w
| sting in such a manner as TO paralyze the nerve
| centres rather than TO kill the spider outrlgn,
! Their theory is that instinct guides the wasp !.
keep the spider alive as long as possible ana 'hu'
! 10 retard its decay IN the cell. 40, ,..,
| This assumption would seem 70 give we IND +, y
! credit for too high n degree OF intelngence re-
| sides II has been disproved by the fact that tns
| wasp stings It's victim in any part Of the BODY
without apparent choice. Cases In when me sg,I,e
| Is only paralyzed probably accidentai resu.ii
ing from the lightness OF the sting ana ,he shaA
| quantity OF virus injected.