The Naturalist in Nicaragua

The wasp that found the right bush and still lost its food

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The offer

In a garden in Nicaragua, the naturalist Thomas Belt held out a caterpillar on the tip of a stick. A brown and yellow paper wasp flew over and seized it. It worked its jaws down the caterpillar until it had a soft green lump. Then it rolled up only half.

A look before leaving

The wasp lifted off with its load. The other half lay on a leaf inside the climbing plant. Belt expected it to go. Instead, it hovered at the opening, made small circles, then swept farther round the bush. It came back for one more look before flying away.

Three seed pods

Less than two minutes later, the wasp circled the bush and dropped to the opening. Three little seed pods grew together there. Belt had been using them to pick out the spot himself. The wasp landed on a leaf nearby and ran inside. The food was close.

One leaf away

The wasp ran along the leaf where it had landed. The food lay on a different leaf, with no direct connection between the two. The wasp missed it and vanished into the tangle. Then it flew out, circled the bush and dropped back by the same three pods. It missed the food again.

Straight out

Belt counted at least half a dozen returns. At last the wasp came upon the right leaf, seized the green scrap and flew straight away. This time it left without circling. It had found its way back to the opening almost at once. Finding the last leaf took longer.

The wasp that found the right bush and still lost its food
By Adapted from Thomas Belt
In a garden in Nicaragua, the naturalist Thomas Belt held out a caterpillar on the tip of a stick. A brown and yellow paper wasp flew over and seized it. It worked its jaws down the caterpillar until it had a soft green lump. Then it rolled up only half.
The wasp lifted off with its load. The other half lay on a leaf inside the climbing plant. Belt expected it to go. Instead, it hovered at the opening, made small circles, then swept farther round the bush. It came back for one more look before flying away.
Less than two minutes later, the wasp circled the bush and dropped to the opening. Three little seed pods grew together there. Belt had been using them to pick out the spot himself. The wasp landed on a leaf nearby and ran inside. The food was close.
The wasp ran along the leaf where it had landed. The food lay on a different leaf, with no direct connection between the two. The wasp missed it and vanished into the tangle. Then it flew out, circled the bush and dropped back by the same three pods. It missed the food again.
Belt counted at least half a dozen returns. At last the wasp came upon the right leaf, seized the green scrap and flew straight away. This time it left without circling. It had found its way back to the opening almost at once. Finding the last leaf took longer.

The wasp that found the right bush and still lost its food

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