286 



that's it; 



being dissolved upon the ap- 

 proach of winter. The nests are 

 of varied size, according to the 

 number of the society by which 

 they are inhabited, being from 

 time to time enlarged during the 

 summer, as the community be- 

 comes more and more extensive. 

 Previous to the setting in of the 

 winter, the females, which have 

 been but recently developed, are 

 impregnated by the males, which 

 soon afterwards die ; the females 

 then disperse, seeking winter 

 quarters, in sheltered situations ; 

 and those which survive the 

 rigours of winter commence the 

 building of a new nest at the 

 return of the spring, in which 

 they deposit eggs and tend their 

 young themselves ; these at first 

 sight consisting entirely of neu- 

 ters, which assist their parent in 

 the duties of the nest. The nests 

 are either built underground in 

 holes, in banks, or are attached to 

 the branches of trees, 12, or the 

 woodwork of out-houses. They 

 are composed of a paper-like sub- 

 stance formed of finely-gnawed 

 Avood, or the bark of trees, re- 

 duced to a kind of paste by the 

 action of the jaws, and contain a 

 variable number of cells, which 

 are of a hexagonal form, ar- 

 ranged in tiers, with the mouth 

 downwards, or opening sideways, 

 in which the larvae and pupae are 

 contained. The larvae of the 

 wasp tribe are vermiform and 

 without feet : those of the soli- 

 tary species are enclosed sepa- 

 rately in a cell, in which the 

 mother deposits, with singular 

 apparent foresight, at the same 

 Jdrae with the egg, the bodies of 



insects, killed for the purpose, 

 and upon which the larva feeds. 

 The nest is generally surrounded 

 by an envelope, pierced with a 

 common central opening. The 

 larvae are nourished with the 

 juices or pulp of fruit provided 

 for them by the neuters ; they 

 are shut up, and spin for them- 

 selves a- cocoon, when about to 

 become nymphs. 



These insects are very vora- 

 cious, preying upon other insects, 

 sugar, meat, fruit, honey, &c, 

 which, after being properly pre- 

 pared in the stomach 'of the 

 winged insects, is disgorged, and 

 serves as food for the young, 

 which are fed therewith daily ; 

 the females as well as neuters 

 assisting in this task. The males, 

 as in all other social insects, are 

 drones, performing no kind of 

 labour. Notwithstanding the 

 powerful sting of the wasp, it is 

 liable to the attacks of other 

 insects. 



The hornet builds its nest 

 in decaying hollow trees, under 

 the eaves of barns, and not un- 

 frequently in timber yards, and 

 other similar situations. The 

 sting of the insect is greatly to 

 be dreaded, and is often pro- 

 ductive of very serious conse- 

 quences. The nest is of a 

 smaller size than that of the 

 wasp, and of a somewhat glo- 

 bular form, with tnl* mouths of 

 the cells downwards. 



This year (182G, says the author of "The 

 Journal of a Naturalist,") the hornet abounded 

 with us in unusual numbers, and afforded con- 

 stant evidence of its power and voracity that 

 could not have been exceeded by any ravenous 

 beast. In our gardens the imperious murmur 

 of four or five of them at a time might be fre- 

 quently heard about our fruit-trees. They 

 would occasionally extract the sweet liquor 



