116 Insect Life : Its Why and Wherefore 
probably enable them to see and do their 
work while in the darkened recesses of their 
underground home. Its large wings are 
folded and creased in the centre when the 
insect is at rest ; while the feelers on the 
head may possibly be organs of hearing, 
and are certainly extremely sensitive. The 
sting of the wasp, while barbed, is not so 
barbed as that of the bee, and is constantly 
withdrawn and reinserted many times. 
I have watched a wasp insert its sting in 
six different spots on my own arm. There 
is one thing perhaps more ludicrous than 
watching a man chasing his own hat down 
the street in a wind, and that is to see a 
whole table full of people, who are held up, 
or imagine they are, by a single wasp. 
The fact is that wasps, except in protecting 
their nest, i.e., in its immediate vicinity, 
seldom use their stings . Accidents will occur } 
such as a sleepy or chilled wasp crawling 
up your clothing, eating a piece of fruit 
previously claimed by a wasp, etc., but 
these are exceptional cases, and wasps 
that are hovering round the fruit dish or 
the sugar basin will not sting. The wasp 
is particularly affectionate and attentive 
