Evening star., 1947-10-07
This and That
Bu Charles E. TrdceDeH

Well, well, nereS B. new OHc-h youllk wy
who wants to know how to attract wasps.
Most people desire only to get away from
hornets, wasps, yellow jackets and the like.
They are glad when these buzzers stay at a
SAFE distance.
A good wasp sting can be about as itchy a
proposition as the skin has to stand.
II have very strange hobby" writes Karl
r., II years old, Of Arlington, Va.
1T is collecting hornet nests. Since you know
all about nature, and particularly birds, I Won
der If you could tell me something.
"Is there anything I could put around our
house to attract hornets?
rs there any kind Of fruit or meat to put
in the trees or on the house?
II already have eight good ones and three
poor nests The other day saw one on a
house as mother drove past 1t.
Later dad and put the ladder on the car
and went up and got 1t down. also took pic
lures of the nest OF course, asked the people
If could get 1t.
II also collect queer rocks and fossils.
Mother and are very interested in nature.
This spring we raised fusty blackbird. When
we turned him out he would 60 away for few
hours, then fly back. One day we let him fly
ing mother heard a faint little chirp and
there he was! A cat had gotten him but he
had made his way home.
will you please tell me if there is anything
can do to make hornets build in certain
place? I do wish some would build in tree
in our garden"
Since the various members of the wasp fam
ily destroy flies and other insects inimical to
man, they should not be interfered with, nor
their homes taken down.
But boys will be boys, and there seems
to be nothing in nature more attractive to a
real American boy than hornets nest.
The moment boy sees one, he wants to
take 1t down, and certainly the collecting in
stinct is better excuse for doing so than some
small boys have. Sometimes they seem to de-
stroy for distinctions sake. Perhaps if the
human world Is going in for destruction on q
large SCALE it is good for our boys to learn
destruction on a small one.
We hope Karl and others will not think this
is lecture. 1t Is not, but merely a factual
discussion; some scientists think the insects
will take over the world, some day. and to pre-
vent that we need the aid of the good insects.
Wasps and hornets, particularly the latter,
are the worlds first paper makers.
The white-faced hornet, he with the big
sting, is one of the best. He gets his wood pulp
from bruised places in barked trees.
This should give us tip If we want to at
tract these creatures.
Bark tree-ones own, Of course-but not
enough to cause it any damage.
Then relax and hope the WaSps will come.
Some wasps like fruit juices and raisins. They
feed mashed flies to their young. If we can put
out fruit paste, such as cooked apricots and
raisins mashed into pulp, this offering might
do something to attract the various wasps and
hornets.
Perhaps some of these delicaces could be
placed on overhangs or corrices Of houses,
places the white-faced hornet likes to build
his nest. This nest is about foot long, with
the entrance near the bottom.
1t is marvellous piece Of work and no young
collector can be admonished for wanting it.
But the hornets like it, too, and 1t was their
own to begin with.
They made it, you see. Perhaps somewhere
hack in their odd brains there are cells of
admiration for their own handiwork and in
their hearts there may be sense of defeat and
humiliation when they see their work torn
down.
This, perhaps, is sentimental way Of look
ing at things. Collectors have been taking
bird eggs and nests and hornet nests for many
years and probably will 60 on for long time
doing so. goa collection is good collec-
ton, no matter what 1t is. But one might
hope the collections of boys and girls are of
postage stamps, books, phonograph records,
milk bottle tops tdo they still collect themD
minerals ETC., etc. There are so many won-
derful things to collect. perhaps we would do
best to leave the wasps and hornets in pos
session Of their homes.