.26 A. E. GIBBS — THE WASP IN^FESTATION OF 1893. 



of ground-wasps' nests in our neighbourhood was, of course, 

 exceptionally large, as many as twenty or more nests having 

 been destroyed in a single bank. We also had an unusual number 

 of pensile or hanging nests, taken from hedges, bushes, out- 

 buildings, etc. I have six or eight very beautiful specimens in 

 glass cases. I do not think that there was any increase in the 

 number of hornets. One or two interesting points in reference 

 to the hybernation of the queen wasps have lately come under 

 my observation, which I think rather tend to show that queen 

 wasps are not so easily destroyed by hard fi'osts as some people 

 imagine. Instead of hybernating in solitary state under the 

 bark of trees, etc., they appear to have swarmed together this 

 year in large numbers. In a heap of stones near Ickleford 

 Gate-house on the Bedford Road, large numbers were found by 

 the road-men who were turning the stones over before putting 

 them on the road. The wasps had simply crept into the interstices 

 between the stones, and there established themselves for the 

 winter. In another place, at St. Ibbs, near Hitchin, a quantity 

 (said to be about 200) of queen wasps were found in an old piece 

 of sail-cloth or canvas that had been put oiitside upon the roof 

 of a shed. It was blown off during a gale of wind, and was found 

 to be saturated with rain-water, and a ' teapotfull ' of wasps was 

 taken out of it and thrown into the fire. They had evidently 

 passed through the severe frosty weather that we had about 

 Christmas, on the top of the roof with no other protection than 

 a piece of canvas. If queen wasps are capable of hybernating 

 safely under such circumstances, and in such numbers, I am afraid 

 we are likely to have a greater wasp-plague than ever next year, 

 unless the nests and young are destroyed by unfavourable weather 

 in the spring." 



The above reports show how very general the infestation was. 

 I fear that we shall not escape very easily this year, for the 

 number of queens flying about just now is unusual. I found 

 one queen hybernating among my botanical specimens. They will 

 creep into any convenient corner, and I fancy the "swarming" 

 alluded to by Mr. Shillitoe is accidental rather than intentional, 

 and that the queens found that the spots mentioned would make 

 convenient winter quarters, and therefore took possession singly 

 and not en masse. I beg to thank my correspondents for the 

 trouble they have taken to send me information. 



