Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-10-30
WASPS.

How They Make the Material for and
Build Their Nests.
'+Oh, Uncle George, just come and
see what Sam and l found!" exclaimed
little Alfred, rushing into his uncle's
study one bright Saturday morning.
Uncle George laid down his pen with
a smile. "What have you found, Al
fred?" he asked. as he rose to follow
his little nepf.w.
"Well, l don'tknow exactly what it is,
Uncle George" answered the little boy,
leading his uncle through the garden.
lit Is a great big gray ball that looks as
if it is made Of paper, and it is fastened
on a branch OF the big apple tree down
at the end OF the orchard. Sam and l
We're going to throw stones at it, but
we saw some wasps crawling over it,
and we were afraid to-"
'lt is very well that you did not
throw any stones at it," answered his
uncle. ut is a wasps' nest, and if you
had made them angry they might have
stung you very badly"
They oon came to the tree, and Al
AASN POlAlCu} OUu IN OUJCCt VI IllClI
curiosity to his uncle. 1t was an I'M
usually large wasps' nests. and the in
sects were swarm4ng in and out, look
ing quite formidable enough to deter
any Il from touching their fortress.
didn't you ever see u wasps' nest
before, Sam?:' asked Uncle George of
his youngest nephew, who was seated
on the fence viewing the wasps with
curiosity mingled with q little tear.
'.No, sir," answered Sam. '.Uncle
George, where do they get their nest?"
''lnev make it." was the answe
Alfred and sam looked at the nest in
%incredulous wonder. 1t did not seem
possible that an insect as small as the
wasp could build such a large nest.
"Why, it's made OF paper, isn't it,"
asked sam, at length.
LET us SIT down here a little while
and | will tell you how they make it.
The wasps are furnished with broad,
powerful m%andibles, or pinccrs, and
with these they tear of small particles
OF woody fiber from gate-posts, palings
or the bark of trees. This they mix
into a soft pulp with their saliva, and
with this pulp they construct the nest.
The inside OF the nest is divided into
little combs or cells, and the substance
that separates these cells is generally
thicker and tirmer than that on the out
side of the nest. AS the nest is enlarged
new paper is made for the purpose, the
whole nest being incloseu in the last
made envelope, and the inner one is re-
! moved to make place for more cells.
"Ihe nests of wasps in tropical coun-
tries are sometimes very large, often six
feet long, and they are inhabited by
very large families Of wasps."
How much paper those big nests
must take!" exclaimed Sam, who had
been deeply interested in his uncle's ac-
count.
Eyes, paper making is the principal
! industry OF these little insects, "
answered his uncle. Zach ore of
them has his own share Of work to do,
and so, little by little, the great nest is
built"
what do wasps eat?" asked Alfred.
'Wasps will eat a great variety OF
both animal and vegetable food"
answered Uncle George.
''They will eat insects. ripe fruit,
sugar, and they often invade Dee-hives
and steal the honey. There is q Brazil
ian species of wasp that is known to
store up honey like bees"
"Aren't hornets and wasps very much
alikeY' asked Sam.
EYES," answered Uncle George.
1.-The hornet is the largest species of
wasp, and found in the south of En-
gland. Now, boys, | must go back to
my writing. l will leave you here to
watch the wasps if you want to, and
there is n very useful lesson that !
hope you will learn from them"
:'\Nhat is that, Uncle George?" asked
the boys together.
Remember that great things are
made up of little ones" answered
Uncle George. Zone wasp alone could
not build that great nest, but by each
doing a little the work is accom-
plished."-S. S. WSator.