i68 BEE-FARMING. 



standard and other roses. This kind of food seems to be 

 a dainty morsel for the young wasps. 



Dr. Ormerod mentions instances where the entire 

 destruction of wasps has resulted in swarms of flies, almost 

 as bad as the Egyptian plague in the days of Moses. 

 Wasps certainly do much good as scavengers in destroying 

 a large quantity of decaying vegetable matter ; but it is as 

 destroyers of flies, spiders, aphides, caterpillars, and other 

 insects, that their chief good is seen. Examine the ground 

 beneath a large nest, and it is astonishing what a quantity 

 of wings, &c., of flies are seen. In one of my rambles I 

 fortunately witnessed a deadly combat between a ground- 

 wasp and a large spider. For a considerable time it was 

 doubtful which would prove the victor ; at length the 

 wasp took a mean advantage over its adversary, and in- 

 flicted its sting in the lower part of the spider's body ; in 

 a few moments after the spider was dead. I expected, 

 knowing that wasps are carnivorous, to see the victor carry 

 away its spoil, but it appeared to be quite exhausted, and, 

 instead, languidly took wing and disappeared ; in about 

 ten minutes it returned with a companion, who severed the 

 body in twain, when it was easily carried away to the nest. 



A ie.-w years since I witnessed the destruction of a 

 fine apiary solely by wasps, so that in October every 

 stock was destroyed. In some villages wasps are more 

 numerous than in others, but in any case " to be forewarned 

 is to be forearmed." Against this, as against other 

 enemies that may creep inside the hive, such as mice, 

 honey-moth, &c. the best defence is to make the entrance 

 small, and you need not fear a host of them. 



During damp weather I noticed underneath one of 

 my bee-stands three small holes somewhat like those 

 made by mice, but scarcely so large. One evening about 

 twilight as several stragglers were making their way 



