56 PRINCIPAL HOUSEHOLD INSECTS. 



cricket that frequently there is a strong feeling against destroying it; 

 and to many it is a pleasant incentive to revery, filling the mind with 

 pleasant contemplations, and perhaps hilling the wakeful to restful 

 sleep. Not to all, however, does it appeal in this way, and for those 

 to whom its notes are rasping and irritating, and who fear for the 

 safety of their garments, or are otherwise evilly disposed toward it, 

 the following methods of control will be of interest: 



It may be readily destroyed by taking advantage of its liking for 

 liquids, and any vessel containing beer or other liquid placed about 

 will usually result in crickets being collected and drowned in numbers. 

 It may also be destroyed by the distribution of uncooked vegetables, 

 such as ground-up carrots or potatoes, strongly poisoned with arsenic. 

 In the use of poisoned baits in dwellings great care, however, should 

 always be exercised. 



C. L. M. 



THE PAPER WASP. 

 ( Vespa germanica Fab.) 



It frequently happens, more particularly in suburban places and in 

 the country, that the common yellow jackets or paper wasps, notably 

 Vespa germanica Fab., will have their nests near dwellings and mul- 

 tiply to such an extent as to become serious nuisances about houses, to 

 which they are attracted by the moisture about wells or to fruit refuse. 

 Under these circumstances they become a source of some danger from 

 the liability of their stinging horses. Unless houses are carefully 

 screened they will frequeutly be attracted into them in considerable 

 numbers, and on account of their pugnacious disposition render meal 

 taking a proceeding of considerable risk. They have a great fondness 

 for all sweetened liquids and will swarm over fruit, especially melons. 



The species most apt to be annoying in houses in the East is the one 

 mentioned at the head of this article. It is of European origin, and, 

 like many other introduced animals, as the English sparrow, for exam- 

 ple, has become even more numerous in its new home than in its old. 

 It sometimes nests in trees in Europe, but in this country commonly 

 dwells in large underground colonies located usually only a few inches 

 below the surface, and often in the deserted nests of field mice, Avhich 

 have been cleaned out and greatly enlarged by their insect tenants. 



The nest consists of a loose papery envelope, within which are from 

 four to eight stories or tiers of combs, attached to each other with strong- 

 central supports. The largest combs sometimes have a diameter of 12 

 inches and the larger nests a capacity of upward of one-half bushel. 

 Throughout the summer a colony contains, in addition to the queen 

 mother, workers only. The perfectly sexed individuals, females or 

 queens and males, appear only in the fall, usually in September, are 

 much larger than the workers, and are reared in special cells of large 

 size in the undermost or last constructed of the combs. 



