Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
OF W SPS
HOW THEY OBTAIN THEIR SUP
PLY OF FOOD.
Character and Variations of the Soil
tary Species-Methods Of
Killing Insects.
From the London Chronicle.

From the London Chronicle.
In all natural history there are. perhaps
no more fascinating and extraordinary
chapters than those which deal with the
habits of ants, bees and wasps When we
speak of bees and wasps we generally think
Of the socia! species. These. however, are
comparatively few in number, while the SOL
ttary forms are much more numerous and
scarcely, If at ALL less interesting.
We owe to NJ. Fabre, the distinguished
French entomologist, most interesting and
delightful series of observations on the
habits of insects. Some of the most strik-
ing are those in which he describes the soli-
tary bees and wasps. Speaking generally,
we may say that each female constructs a
CELL every species having It's own favorite
site She then stores up in 1t sufficient
supply of food which, in the case of bees.
consists of pollen and honey, while wasps
select small animals, such as beetles cater
pillars, spiders, etc. The mother then laws
an egg. after which she closes up the cell
and begins another. Generally though not
invariably, she takes no further notice of
her offspring
Many years ago NJ Fabre published some
careful and brilliant observations on the
subject. He found that some wasps string
their victims in such manner as to para
lyze, but not to kill them; and he argued
that this remarkable Instinct must have
gradually acquired. since, If the cater
pillar were uninjured, 1t would struggle to
escape. and almost inevitably destroy the
egg OF the wasp: or. If it were killed. it
would decay, and soon become unfit for
food
Instincts Not Invariable.
Many years ago suggested that the
facts did not bear out M. Fabre's conclu-
sion: that Instincts were by no means so
trNya Ia ha mad hat In,
this case some wasps buried their victims
but little injured. some more less para
lyZed, and others killed outright, without
harm being done to the young wasp. Strik-
ing support of this view is now given by
Mr.. and Mrs. Peckham, who confirm the
statement that the victims are by no means
always treated in the same manner
One of the important results of their
Investigations consists In the additional
evidence which they have collected of the
great diversity of habits. not only between
different species but also between different
individuals belonging to the same species.
Prof. Forel and l both arrived at similar
results in the case of ants. and, as Mr.. and
MIRA. Peckham point out, 1t Is exceedingly
probable that panstaking study of any
branch whatever of the animal kingdom
would lead to the same conclusion. They
tell us that they found "a most interesting
variation among the different Individuals
not only In methods, but in character and
intellect While one (wasp) was beguiled
passed, another stuck to her work with
indefatigable perseverance. While one
stung her caterpillar so carelessly and
made her nest in so shiftless way that
her young could survive only through
some lucky chance. another devoted her
self to these duties not only with conscien-
tious thoroughness, but with apparent
craving after artistic perfection that was
touching to see.
An example of such an apparent craving
is given in the case of Pompilius fusci-
pennis. who. having finished the building
of her nest, brought quantity OF small
objects and placed them over the nest
little stick. the petal of faded flower.
a scrap of dead leaf. and so on until ten or
twelve things had been collected" This
certainly appears to have been entirely
personal, since in no other examples OF
P. fuscipennis did they ever see much per-
feet work again.
Selected the Stalks
Prof. Fabre himself indeed. shows that
instincts are not immu.abie. For instance,
on one occasion he took .wo dozen solitary
bees cells from a quarry. where they had
been nesting. as he su3poses, for Centuries
IN snail shells. and placed them In his study
with some empty shells and hollow stems.
When the young bees came out. in tho fol-