Caledonia

Hornets In New

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Dec. 3.

ONE read with interest the experience of a Chelsea (London) householder whose maid, with great presence of mind, destroyed a hornet’s nest by throwing a cloth over it soaked with petrol. We fre quently use the more simple method of boiling water.

It would be interesting to know if these insects migrate, after the manner of birds, eels, etc. In certain months of the year, in this island of New Caledonia, they swarm in vast numbers and descend upon one’s home and take complete possession

of it. We have slain many hundreds, in a short time, with an old paper as a weapon, and the sport is more exciting than ping-pong.

One is mostly powerless to cope with this pest, which is most noticeable in the months of May and June. I have known of several cases of people being stung whilst motoring, the insect being caught into the car, and having his flight arrested, he proceeds to take his revenge.

One finds that when the hornets come in these vast numbers it seems to be the mating season, and they are not as gressive as when they cluster on their paper houses. Although we have been stung several times, we have suffered no serious ill-effects; but I have heard of a farmer collapsing after the sting of a hornet, which proved fatal.