The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-10-16


nuIid Their Nests
| .sOh. Uncle George. just come and
see what sam and found. exclaimed
| little Alfred, rushing into his uncle's
study one bright Saturday morning.
Uncle George laid down his pen with
q lsmile. What have you found. Al
freds" he asked. - he rose to follow
his little nephew.
| ..Wcll. don know exactly what i Is.
Uncle George" answered the little boy.
! leading his uncle through the garden
lit IS a great big gray ball that looks ~
! if il is made of paper. and il Is fastened
on branch Of the big apple tree down
nj the end IL the orchard. sam and
were going to throw stones at u. but
We saw some wasps crawling over u.
and we were afraid 10. i
1T is very well that you did not
throw any stones at il. answered his
uncle. 1T + wasps' nest. and Il you
had made them angry they might nave
stung you very badly.
Inev soon came to the tree. and Al
fred pointed out the object Of Their
curiosity 10 his uncle. II was an I'M
usually large wasps nests, aud the in
sccts we're swarm.ng in and out. look
ing quite formidable enough To deter
any one from touching their fortress.
Didn't you ever see wasps' nest
before. SAM" asked Uncle George Of
his youngest nephew, who was 8 ated
on the fence viewing the wasps with
curiosity mingled with little fear
mo, sir, answered sam. Uncle
George, where do they get their nest!'
4 .s1nev make il. WAS the answer.
II Alfred and sam looked at the nest IL
incredulotls wonder. II did not seem
| possible that an insect ~ small rs ths
wasp could bu. d such q large nest
n ..Nhy. its made Of paper, isn't Isl!
4 asked sam. ut length
LET us sit down here a little while
and will tell you how they make II
The wasps are furnished with broad
powerful mandibles. or pincers, ans
with these they tear oil small particle
Of woody fiber from gate-posts. paling'
or the bark of trees. This they mn
! into soft pulp with their saliva. an'
with this pulp they construct the nest
. The inside u the nest is divided int
+, little combs or cells. and the sui stanc
\ that separates these cells Is general
thicker and firmer than that ON the oul
side Of the nest. As the nest Is enlarge
new paper Is made for the purpose. III
I whole nest being inclosed IN the lasl
y made envelope. and the inner one y X
moved 10 make place for more cells
..Thc nests Of wasps in tropical cour
e tries are sometimes very large. often y
= feet long. and they arc inhabited b
n - .~.. 4. ..,t1i.. ssf ~
q How much paper those big nest
70 must taker' exclaimed Sam. VINO ha
2 been 4. eply interested in his uncle - AZ
" count
Yes. paper making Is the princip'
A industry II these little insects,
8 answer ed his uncle. Each one
Ia them has his own share Of work to d
SO and 50. little BY little. the great nest
rs built.
u s.What do wasps eatw asked Alfre'
e, .Wasps will eat q great variety
r. both animal aud vegetable food,
IN answered Uncle George
They will eat insects. ripe fru
al sugar. and they often invade Dre-his
and steal the honey There is Braz
~ ian species OF wasp that i known
= store up honey like bees"
nj .sAren't hornets and wasps very mu'
- alike?'' asked sam
nj Yes" answered Uncle Georg
ch The hornet is the largest species
,ut wasp, and found in the south Of \
l" gland. Now. boys. ! must 80 back
nv my writing. will leave you here
49, watch the wasps II you want to. a
there Il one very useful lesson tina
a.. hope YOU will learn from them
"a what Is that, Uncle George?' ask
To- the boys together.
IN '.RememDer that great things
70 made up Of little ones" answer
ins Uncle George. ''Onc wasp alone cot
,se not build that great nest, but by ca
M doing little the work y acco
IN p.ishcd. "-o. 8. Visitor.