The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-12-12
HOW A MOTHER WASP PROVIDES
FOR HER ORPHAN CHILDREN.

Human beings are not alone in max
ing provisions for the helpless. Many
animals have curious and interesting
ways of Caring for their young, some
spending the last hours of their life in a
(,hsIl 1 say % and very eff 9ctive
service TO off ;prlng they will never
see. Lat me describe such a case.
Oae jay afternoon I saw a SIND
wasp dragging a plump, green cater
pillar on thu long step of the front
porch. In ten minutes she carried it
thirty feet without serious deviations
from the direct path, to a burrow
which che had already exosva5ed in
the turf. After a brief survey on her
arrival, she seemed to coQclude that
the hole was not quite large enough
to allow her to pass OUT o. it alongside
the caterpillar, and she began, accord
ingly, to increase it's diameter at the
depth OF an inch below the surface.
she went down head frat, and dug
into the walls with her sharp toOtned
jaws and a. on came out, flying up a
foot or so and dropping the load of
Sand some inches from the burEow.
While she was digging, or rather with
each thrust of her Jaws, she emitted a
buZzing sound. Now and then she
stopped and seemed to regard thought
fully the caterpillar and the hole
thinking, II wonder if that ia big
enough nowi" and then set to work
again. After about three minutes she
seized the unresisting caterpillar near
the head, and descended into the hole
backward, dragging the caterpillar
DOM and fiaally into a horizontal p0
sition. TIE pos5erior end OF the cater
pillar was In sight an inch below the
surface of the ground. The wasp did
uos come I'd at oncs. What could
have detained herr Was che concerned
about the further confort OF tie 81
5omOed C8terplilar2 or Wa the tomb
sll TOO narrow t. admit OF her escapes
Toe rru = ia she fingered that moment
below in order to deposit az sc on the
Cascroiliar's BODY. Shen then hurried
ablve With her tender secret, and pro
ceede5 with rare skill and dispatch to
~ooIi5erate every trace of it. She frs
removed BITS OF l3aves, sticks. and
gravel from q space about an inch
IeUls re around the hole, as it "clearing
Ins deck" Tnen grssp:ng a large gravel
4 r--E Ho~ ,1u Gnn naRETnn If down
into the burrow, and on emerging be
] gan to scratch the 8 md backward into
the hole, after the manner Of a dog,
With very rapid movements Of the
fcst pair Of legs. at times losseuing up
the soil with her jAws. II too large a
grit go IN now, she removed it. After
a moment of scratching she would
turn round and ram the material into
the hole with her extended jaws.
making with each eff )rG the buzzing
sound mentioned ab1ve. Occasionally
she would fly away and after an inter
val return to her work without bring
ing n thing, such flights increasing
in number and duration as the work
approached completion. In twenty
minutes the hole was filled and rammed
to the level of the surface. She then
| placed O nun Der of email sticks, bits
of leaves, and q gravel or two without
order over the closed burrow, making
is resemble the surrounding soil 30
/ closely thai it would have been impos'
| siole for one Who did not know its ex
act position to find it. Ia three quar-
| ters of az hour from the time l fist
| caught sight Of her on the step, the
proviCent mother fl W away, and did
not return.
But why the caterpillar submit
| 90 passively 90 this living burial9 He
NAV have been aware Of it, but was
/ unable t. reais5. Wnen the wasp ftst
| captured him, she stung him IN those
| parts Of the nervous system which
| control m~ueculRr c~1ntFactIOl, and go
DsraiyZ q hirn without killing h'm lJ
| was a feat IN eurgeTy far In advance
| ofJLhe ekiIi Of man.. It's advantage 10
| the was0's eff IOrirg is MAJ Hest. Ice
| caterpillar il at the same Jlme inactive
| and alive, so thai the youog wasp
! when it is haGched fl lds ready t. hand
! q submissive aud perfectly fresh SUP
| DIV Of food. There is hardly a more
Wonderful in7tiuC5 in all the rance CT
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