266 WASPS. 



in one locality, nine nests were known of within the limits of 

 "a ramble," and twenty in the more extended area of a few 

 miles. 



It is worth noting, that from two well-qualified observers 

 respectivel}^ almost at the north and almost at the south of 

 the area reported from, namely, localities in Co. Moray, N.B., 

 and Kent, and also from a station midway, namely, Hull, I 

 had information that no unusual amount of appearance of 

 queens in spring preceded the very unusual amount of Wasp 

 infestation afterwards. 



Where the observers expressed an opinion as to the cause 

 of the very unusual prevalence, it was referred, as indeed 

 seemed clearly demonstrated, to the unusually early and 

 long-continued dry weather in the spring being so entirely 

 suitable for satisfactory settlement of the queens. 



Species of British Wasps. — In Britain we have seven species 

 of social Wasps, that is, of Wasps living together in societies 



Vespa vulgaris. — Largest specimen, queen, or female; specimen to left-hand, 

 with long horns, drone, or male ; right-hand s^jecimen, neuter, or worker. 



formed of males, females, and neuters, or abortive females, 

 commonly known, respectively, as drones, queens, and workers. 



The seven kinds of Wasps are divided into two sections of 

 Ground Wasps and Tree Wasps, according to whether their 

 nests are customarily formed in a hollow in the ground, or 

 suspended in the air from a bough, or in a hedge, or, as with 

 our largest species, Vespa crahro, the splendid insect known 

 as the " Hornet," the nests may be found in decayed trees, 

 in roots, under eaves, or, as I have myself found it, down in 

 the ground by a small post of a field paling. 



The species of the Ground-building Wasps are Vespa vul- 

 garis, Linn, (see figure) ; V. germanica, Fabr. ; and V. rufa, 

 Linn., which is somewhat smaller, as regards the queens and 

 workers, than the two preceding kinds, but variously marked, 

 especially on the first two segments of the abdomen, with a 



