Insects Injurious to the Apple. 129 



thoracic region thickened as we notice in the rose feeder. The latter 

 pupate in the rose stems and occur in larval form from July to 

 October. 



Since the above Eeport was drawn up (2), the E. cinctm has been 

 compared with the apple species and found to be distinct. 



Eeferences. 



(1) Cameron, P. 'Phytophagous Hymenoptera,' vol. I., p. 278 (1882). 



(2) Theobald, F. V. Eeport on Economic Zoology for the year ending 



April 1st, 1905, pp. 16-18 (1905). 



WASPS. 



( Vespidce.) 



Wasps are a general cause of annoyance. They attack all kinds 

 of fruits and spoil them. The sofc plums are no more attacked than 

 the hardest cooking apples. The loss in the former is perhaps the 

 greatest, but the manner of attack in the latter is the most inte- 

 resting. In 1887, 1892 and 1893, and in 1900, and again in 1903, 

 quite a number of complaints were made about wasp damage to 

 apples. From near St. jSTeots, Huntingdonshire, Mr. Murfin sent, in 

 1900, a number of apples which had been completely hollowed out 

 by wasps ; the skins had dried and remained on the trees. These 

 specimens are to be seen in the Gallery of Economic Zoology in the 

 British Museum, South Kensington, which has never been completed 

 owing to lack of funds. Two species of wasps are the main culprits 

 on fruit, namely, the Common Wasp {Vcspa vidgaris) and the Tree 

 Wasp {Vcspa s)/lvestris), and two others I have found now and 

 again injuring fruits, namely, Vcspa (jcnnanica and Vcspa rufa. 

 In Scotland a tree wasp ( Vcspa noriccgica, Fab.) is also somewhat 

 harmful. 



Possibly others of our seven British wasps may do harm, but no 

 records have been sent me and it is extremely unlikely that one, 

 the Hornet (Fcsjm f;r//>ro), attacks fruit. The life-history of wasps 

 can be found in any book on Xatural History, so need not be referred 

 to here. 



Destkuctiox (tF WAsrs. 



This again scarcely needs to be mentioned. Any labourer or 

 gardener will iind the nest od the ground, and each has his special 



K 



