306 WASPS AND THEIR WAYS 



Late in the season, however, the wasps 

 have a grand rally, an enormous picnic, 

 where the chief occupations are sitting in 

 the sun, drinking nectar from the autumn 

 flowers, flying swiftly about in the noon- 

 day heat, and getting into the houses, to 

 the consternation of the human occupants, 

 who, though much larger and stronger 

 than wasps, are nevertheless very much 

 afraid of them. 



Then can they be caught by the score 

 in the skilfully wielded net of the insect 

 collector. Big wasps, little 

 wasps, black, red, yellow, 

 blue, white, all colours, 

 shapes,and sizes, they may 

 be gathered in. Then, too, 

 the young male wasps are 

 as abundant as the females, both frequenting 

 the goldenrods when the sun is bright. 



They have their good time drinking 

 nectar and eating insects if they feel so 

 inclined. Then, too, come the yellow- 



