With this one and only prop, the animal's body juts out stiffly, at full length, with legs folded.

It forms a right angle with the supporting axis, so much so that the whole weight of the insect, which has turned itself into the arm of a lever rests upon the mandibles.
The Ammophila sleeps extended in space by virtue of her mighty jaws.

It takes an animal to think of a thing like that, which upsets all our preconceived ideas of repose.

Should the threatening storm burst, should the stalk sway in the wind, the sleeper is not troubled by her swinging hammock; at most, she presses her fore-legs for a moment against the tossed mast.

As soon as equilibrium is restored, the favourite posture, that of the horizontal lever, is resumed, perhaps the mandibles, like the bird's toes, possess the faculty of gripping tighter in proportion to the rocking of the wind.
The Ammophila is not the only one to sleep in this singular position, which is copied by many others--Anthidia (Cotton-bees .-- Translator's Note.), Odyneri (A genus of Mason-wasps .-- Translator's Note.), Eucerae (A species of Burrowing-bees .-- Translator's Note.)--and mainly by the males.