SOME ANNOYING PESTS OF MAN 329 



any one can determine by watching a hornet catching the 

 flies and carrying them to the nest. When one recalls 

 that a large hornets' nest may contain several thousand 

 cells and that each one of a large number of these may 

 contain a hungry grub it would not be surprising to find 

 the house-flies in close proximity to the nest kept well 

 under control. 



Methods of controlling wasps. The colonies of yellow- 

 jackets may be destroyed by pouring a goodly quantity 

 of carbon bisulfide into the opening of the nest. This, 

 of course, should be done after dusk and after all the in- 

 mates have entered for the night. 



The entrance to the suspended nest of the hornets may 

 be plugged after dark and the nest broken loose and 

 burned or soaked with kerosene. It is said that these 

 hornets may be destroyed by throwing kerosene on the 

 nest when it will soak through and kill the inmates. 



"PUNKIES" 

 Ceratopogon stellifer et al. 



The local inhabitant, the summer visitor, the traveler, 

 hunter, and camper in the forests of the northern United 

 States are well acquainted with those tiny, almost invisi- 

 ble flies called "punkies." On account of their size the 

 Indians of Maine have given them the very appropriate 

 name of " no-see-um," while in certain parts of our country, 

 notably in Texas, they are called sand flies. It is truly 

 remarkable that such tiny creatures are capable of inflict- 

 ing so much torment on human beings. There can be no 

 doubt in the mind of any one who has felt the punctures of 



