82 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



cells of large size, chiefly in the lowest or last constructed of 

 the combs, during the month of September. Pairing takes 

 place, and the females winter over and originate new colonies 

 the following spring. Workers only are produced during the 

 summer, or until the perfect females and the males of the suc 

 ceeding Fall are developed. 



No honey, wax or pollen is stored in their nests, but the 

 young are fed by the workers on a liquid derived from larvae 

 or other substances eaten. These insects are not honey-gath 

 erers and are not attracted particularly by flowers, but seem 

 to be especially fond of the sweets of fruits and melons. 



No evidence of the presence of parasitic insects was noted 

 in the nests examined, and I believe no parasites of these 

 wasps have been recorded in this country. A number of in 

 sects were found associated with the Vespas, none of which, 

 however, can be considered inquilinous. They comprised a 

 number of Dipterous larvae occurring in the mass of debris 

 about the exterior- of the nest in the decaying musty matter 

 which they breed ; also, a number of partly-grown roaches and 

 some Elaterid larvae and beetles the presence of which latter 

 was probably accidental. Two species of Asilid flies, Mallo- 

 phora orcina Wied. and Deromyia discolor L,w. , were observed 

 to prey on the Vespas in open places in woods. The interest 

 ing fact that these flies, to prevent their being stung, always 

 seize and hold the Vespas while feeding on them with the 

 abdomen of the latter pointing forward is mentioned in the 

 American Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 140. 



In addition to these insect enemies, I was informed by wood 

 men that foxes and skunks frequently dig out the ground-nests 

 and feed on the larvae and pupae contained in the combs. 



The nuisance of these insects about houses and the danger 

 to teams, arising from the frequent proximity of the nest to 

 roads, makes man their principal enemy. The method com 

 monly followed to break up the nests is to build a fire of 

 brush, etc., over them after all the Vespas have come in for 

 the night. This plan I saw repeatedly tried, but subsequent 

 examination showed that in every case it had been only partly 

 successful the upper tier of combs only being affected. In 

 my own investigation a few spoonfuls of chloroform were 

 introduced into the opening of the nest in the evening after 

 all the hornets had come in, and in a few minutes the nest 

 could be opened and examined with entire safety. A better 

 method of destroying the nests than burning would be to 

 introduce into them bisulphide of carbon, which would be 

 cheaper than chloroform and equally effective. Either of 

 these substances could also generally be applied in the case of 



