l80 ENEMIES. . , 



Auguft. Soon after that the workers die; 

 but the mothers furvive the winter, and 

 commence breeding about April. But if 

 cold and wet weather enfues, greater part of 

 the brood are ftarved ; becaufe the workers 

 cannot fly out for forage, and wafps never 

 lay up any flore. Wet is very injurious to 

 their nefts ; and therefore, in a long feafon of 

 heavy rain, few wafps will appear till Sep- 

 tember. But a mild winter, fucceeded by 

 a hot fpring, will fo favour the increafe of 

 wafps, that, without the greatefl: vigilance, 

 mai^y flocks will fall victims to their power. 

 One wafp is a matGh for three bees. They 

 are very bold, and frequently encounter the 

 mofl evident danger, undauntedly oppofing 

 a hoft of bees, to filch a belly-full of honey. 

 Therefore, when cold weather fets in, know- 

 ing that the bees keep no guard then, 

 great numbers get quietly in, and carry off 

 abundance of honey ; and having once 

 tailed of the fweets, they will not defifl 

 till they po fiefs the whole. Perhaps the 

 fame method of deflroying them, in this 

 cafe, as cli rected for bee robbers, would 

 prove as effectual againft wafps. 



When 



