Entomological Society. 9141 
“No report of wasps taken for some years, but it is supposed that they were scarce 
here, or the boys would have been anxious to earn their pence. 
1852 and 1853. Very wet, consequently against the breed of such insects. No 
queens paid for. 
1854. The four months, July to October, in 1853, very wet, but the spring of 
1854 dry. No queens recorded as paid for, but the nests of wasps were very 
early, very strong and remarkably abundant: nearly 100 nests were destroyed 
within a few hundred yards of the homestead. The year 1854 was one of the 
driest on record, and it was also remarkable for the almost total destruction of 
hops by blight. Were the wasps sent to destroy or stay that evil? They are 
great enemies to all insect life. In this year I was attracted by the wasps 
collecting on the stems of some stunted silver-firs where the bark had been 
rubbed off in former years: on examination I observed that these spots were 
inhabited by some specimens of the Aphis tribe, large and rather light 
coloured: they exuded very large drops of their feces, and this was the 
attraction to the wasps, who became gorged or drunk with it, so as to prevent 
them from getting out of the way of the foot which crushed a dozen at once. 
What species of Aphis was it likely to be? 
1855. The spring of this year also very dry, but no wasps are recorded as paid for. 
The years 1856 and 1857 were moderate as to rain, and 1858 was a very dry year. 
In 1857 there were 144 dozens of queens and in 1858 94 dozens paid for. 
No record of 1859, but 1860 was a year of wet and gloom: no queens and no 
nests. 
In 1861 no queens collected, and only 21 dozens in 1862. 
In 1863 no queens collected and very few nests to be found; there were some very 
strong nests, but all known ones were destroyed. 
Yet now, on the 20th of May, there have been brought in above 250 dozeus. 
Where do they come from after such a season of their scarcity as 1863? 
“My house is not very far distant from long tracts of wood, on the edge of the 
southern slopes of the South Downs.”—W., L. W. 
Mr-F. Smith enquired what was the object of destroying all the queens? Surely 
such immense visitations of wasps did not occur without there being some important 
function which the insects were sent to perfurm. 
Mr. Tegetmeier mentioned a novel instance of intelligence and prevision in the 
honey-bee. When a tenantless hive with empty combs is left in an accessible situa- 
tion, it frequently happens that bees will visit it and clear out the refuse, and that a 
swarm will then take possession of it; but it has not been previously recorded that the 
bees will secrete wax in a tenantless hive for the purpose of repairing the injured 
combs and of fastening them more securely to the roof and sides. Being desirous of 
stocking a moveable frame hive with a swarm that was expected to come off early in 
May, Mr. 'Tegetmeier secured an empty comb in each frame and placed the hive 
alongside the stock from which the swarm was expected to issue. The bees from that 
stock inmediately visited the empty hive, and carried out fragments of loose comb; on 
raising the hive after it had been thus visited for a few days, he observed newly- 
secreted scales of wax on the floor-board ; and on careful examination he found that a 
considerable quantity of new white wax had been secreted, and used for the purpose of 
