A close study of the habits of the solitary wasps by several acute observers has brought out many interesting points bearing upon different theories of instinct, and important contributions to our knowledge of the psychology of insects have been made from observations upon this group. For example, in the genus Annnophila the wasps, carefully cover their burrows when they are completed and stored, taking the great est care to conceal the entrance, the mother wasp frequently returning from time to time to see that nothing has been disturbed, and adding sand o• other disguising substances to the covering of the burrow. The most interesting feature of the habits of these insects, how ever. is the undoubted use of a tool by the mother in sect. In filling in the mouth of the burrow, Williston has seen the mother wasp take a stone in her jaws and use it as a tamping iron to pack the earth down more tightly.
Fabre's extended studies led to the conclusion that those solitary wasps are inspired by automatically perfect in stincts which can never have varied to any great extent from the beginning of time. In his opinion devia tion from regular rule would mean extinction. G. W. and E. C. Peekluun. however, after close study, found that variability in the habits of different individuals of the same species exists in every part ieular—shape of nest. manner of digging it, manner of stinging the prey and of crushing it, manner of carrying the victim, way of closing the nest, and even in either closing the nest or leav ing it open. In the study of the Ammophilas it
was especially noticed that there is a very dis tinct personality among the females. One seemed in haste and a pent no time on smaller details; another worked with great attention to detail, spending a long time on the closing of her bur row-, arranging the surface with scrupulous care, and sweeping every particle of dust to a dis tance; another was very careless, carrying the caterpillar in a slipshod way, and making a very poor nest.
Among the English-speaking people of German descent the word wasp is frequently used for other groups of hymenopterous insects. Thll, an iehnenmon-lly is called a parasite wasp, and a ehalcis-fly the same.
Consult: Saussure, Monographic des guipes sociales (Geneva, 1853-58) ; Ashmead, "Classifi cation of the Entosnophagous Wasps," in The Canadian Entomologist (Ottawa, 1899) ; "Classi fication of the Fossorial, Predaceous, and Parasitic Wasps" (ib., 1J00): Fable, Insect Life (Lon don, 1901) ; Peckham, On the instincts and Habits of the Solitary Wasps(Mlwaukee, 1898) ; Howard, The Insert Book (New York, 1902) ; Lubhoek, Ants, Bees, and Wasps (New York, 1S82) : Sharp. Cambridge Natural History, VOL ( London, 1901). •