TO-DAY’S NATURE NOTE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 8

TO-DAY’S NATURE NOTE

Wasps’ Fight For a Spider

It was a morning of dazzling sunshine in the early summer. On the dusty garden path a small object of bustling activity caught my eye, and, moved by curiosity, I went to investigate. 1 found there a brilliant, gold-coated wasp, dragging along an inert grey spider, many times bigger than itself. It. held the spider firmly by its jaws, dragging it backward along thepath, leaving a track behind it. buddenlv, as the wasp was rounding a corner of the path, there was a rush and tiny swirl of dust, and another wasp, clad in armour of vivid blue, swooped on the helpless spider, which had been relinquished, apparently while its captor took breath. There followed such a tourney as might have been fought by knights of old in equally fine array. The dust flew Pi diminutive clouds, and the path became imprinted with their fierce movements. Victory was to the original owner of the. spider, the bandit flying off dishevelled and obviously vanquished. The journey was continued., the wasp dragging its prey backward until the nest in a clay 'bank was reacheel. For the second time the wasp left its capture, this time apparently to examine the entrance to the nest. There were a few small pebbles to remove, and then, with a final mighty effort, the spider was deposited witli its unfortunate fellowvictims in the nest. An interval ensued while the wasp laid an egg. on the juicy, living body of the spider, and then it emerged to pursue further booty. I later learned, that, the spider is paralysed.with one swift stab, and is thus used as living meat for the young grub when it hatches, and until it reaches the chrysalis stage.— J.F.T. (Levin).