Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-04-03
INTELLIGENCE OF WASPs.
Discussed by DR.. Dimmock Before a
Massachusetts Geological Club.

The habits of the solitary Wasps,
says the Springfield, Mass, Republican,
was the subject for discussion at a
meeting of the geological club. DR..
Dimmock gave an extended review Of
an important book on that subject that
has lately appeared under the auspices
Of the Wisconsin geological and ma
tural history society, and which relates
in a most interesting manner results
of observations and experiments made
upon these insects by Mr. and Mrs.
George W. Peckh2m, who are author
tiles on the habits Of spiders and
wasps. Mr.. Peckham is superintend-
ent of schools in Milwaukee. It has
been well-known for years that these
solitary wasps, Of which the mud
dauber that makes its earthern nests IN
our old attics is a common form, store
their cells with other insects, upon
which an egg is deposited in each cell.
The mother wasp in most species then
closes the cell. The egg matches in
few days, and the larva or grub which
itdiscloses grows rapidly, feeding upon
It's 6u p1 Wv I]AAd 4A1AC1AlJ OPSAAS
it's cocoon out of which an adult wasp
energies either the same season or the
following spring. Some of these soil
tary Wasps build subterranean nests IN
burrows which they dig for the pur-
pose. some make mud cells on tWigs or
bushes, and some bore into wood or
remove the pith from stems in order to
find nesting places. AS their nest
building differs according to species,
equally varied is the food with which
they provision their nests, each form
preying upon special kinds of insects.
Flies, gnats, caterpillars, plant-lice,
bugs, crickets, grass-hoppers, beetles
all are seized and packed away as lar
val food by one or more species OF
these useful wasps. Spiderg are stored
by many species, our common
-dauber among them, and one
kind of wasp is especially termed
the tarantua-killer from this habit.
These spiders may be found often
times in a relaxed semi-torpid condi-
ton in the nests Of mud-daubers, and
it has been generally supposed that
they were purposely paralyzed by
being carefully stung by the wasps, in
order that they might remain in
state of suspended animation and fur
nish fresh food for the wasp larvae.
Much has been written concerning the
exact manner in which wasps do this
singing, ans Romanes and other high
authorities on animal instlnc' nave
given it careful consideration Peck
ham now proves that the wasp larvae
are quite Indifferent as to the fresh
ness or to the decayed condition Of
their food, and that the mother wasp
stings her prey only to render the VIC
tim mOtionless so that she may carry
it easier to her nest, or so that her
egg may rest safely and undlsturbed
upon it. In some cases the spider re-
wives from the effects of her sting,
only to find himself a living occupant
of a too narrow tomb to permit of
notion; in other cases where large
spiders are used, a single one in each
cell, the legs are bitten off so that the
bodies may be conveniently stored
away. Of course different species IF
wasps have different habits, and
Peckham's work contains results OF an
immense number of observations,
leading in general, not to the destruc-
ton of theories, but rather 70 their
more accurate delimitatiOn. Clean
Illness, sleeping habits, industry, modes
Of Offense and defense, are all care
fully investigated for many species.
A most important subject expert
mented on is how wasps are able to
return and find their nests, or the
prey which they often leave on the
ground, or hung upon stems of small
plants, while at work on their nests.
Peckham writes: "These experiments
served to show that the insects re-
turned to their homes unless they
they had been taken so far away that
the overlooked country, as they cir
cIed higher and higher, presented no
familiar object to their view" This
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