HABITS. 267 



red tinge. As I have seen it (especially on one occasion 

 when, by mishap, I had to hold the entire colony of a dis- 

 turbed nest down on the ground within my ring-net to enable 

 my unwasp-protected colleague to escape), the difference in 

 tint is a very fair general distinction. 



Of the four species of "Tree Wasps," the most common are 

 Vespa sijlvestris, Scop., and V. norvegica, Fab. (F. britannica 

 of Leach) ; of these the first is widely distributed, the second 

 is not so common in England, but said to be abundant in 

 Scotland. V. arhorea is so very rare that it hardly needs 

 mention. I was, however, fortunate enough to find two 

 specimens at Sedbury Park in the west part of Gloucester- 

 shire, which, on being submitted to the late Mr. Frederick 

 Smith, of the British Museum, were identified by him as being 

 queens of this species. 



The VcsjM crabro, or Hornet, is easily distinguishable from 

 the other species of Wasps by its greater size and its large 



Vespa crabro, female. — Queen Hornet. 



proportion of rusty or reddish colouring. In the part of 

 Gloucestershire mentioned above, where there was much 

 woodland, it was not at all uncommon, but its range of 

 habitat is given as not extending (as far as is known) so far 

 north as Yorkshire.* 



The Wasp colonies of the year are begun by the queens 

 which survived the winter in the sheltered localities which 

 they chose for themselves (away from the perishing nests of 

 the preceding season). Such, for instance, as dark nooks in 

 sheds, or amongst wood, or leaves, or dry rubbish, or stones, 

 or in a dry bank — anywhere, in fact, indoors or out, that is 

 snug and quiet, till the return of sunshine and warmth wakes 

 them from their winter sleep. 



Then comes the time at which the state of the weather 

 affects the amount of Wasp increase to a very important 



* ' British Museum Catalogue of British Aculeate Hymenoptera,' by Frederick 

 Smith, p. 222. 



