HORNETS [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Stn,—My education having
been neglected, I do not know the difference between a wasp and a hornet, except that the latter is reputed to be more virulent. In my country garden here, on the edge of illimitable heather moors, I have a great number of gooseberry bushes with a magnificent crop of red and honey- coloured gooseberries, and, in two of the gooseberry bushes there are hornets' nests, each densely , populated. Last year there was one in another bush, which my gardener burnt up with its inhabitants. I am hesitating about burning up the two I have this year, my instinct being to live and let live, but I should like to be told by some unprejudiced naturalist chat would be the result of leaving them alone. Do they protect or destroy gooseberry bushes ? Are they generally natives of gooseberry _bushes ? What are their strange ball- like grey' nests made of ? I have a horror of stinging insects, and if I am to be severely stung for my humanitarian feelings will instantly let them go by the board. In the meantime my neighbours can be observed going in and out of their nests, but are not inconveniently present in the cottage or garden. What should be done about them ?—I am Sir, &c.,
Previous page
