Preacherman
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From the Telegraph, London (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...18.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/01/18/ixnewstop.html):
Readers' guide to fine art of killing a wasp
By David Derbyshire
(Filed: 18/01/2005)
Of all the inventions bequeathed to the world by Sir George Sitwell, the eccentric father of the poet Edith, perhaps the greatest was a tiny revolver for shooting wasps.
Seated in the grounds of Renishaw Hall in Derbyshire, the amateur landscape gardener would be found taking pot shots at passing wasps with limited success but enormous satisfaction.
More than 60 years after his death, the spirit of Sir George lives on. According to a flurry of correspondence from readers of The Telegraph, the fine art of wasp shooting is alive and well. Which is more than can be said for many of the wasps involved.
For the last two weeks, the letters page has been buzzing with advice on the best way of dispatching the pests.
In the cycle of good and bad summers for wasps, 2004 was one of the worst in recent memory. A combination of a mild winter and warm spring created ideal breeding conditions and turned Britain into a nation of picnic and barbecue flappers during the late summer.
The tradition for shooting insects goes back hundreds of years. Queen Christina of Sweden had a pathological hatred of fleas in the 17th century and is said to have kept a small cannon in her bedroom to fire shots at the insects.
Paul Hargreaves, of West Grinstead, West Sussex, suggested a modern day variant – using a Berloque Pistole loaded with a 78 rpm gramophone needle. "This unique miniature pistol makes short work of wasps at distances of up to six feet," he said.
The disadvantage is that anyone attempting to massacre wasps with the pistol could be risking a jail sentence. According to the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, the weapon is classified as a prohibited weapon under the Firearms Act. Owners could face five years in jail.
A less risky attack can, according to many readers, be made with air guns. Some believe a blast of air at close range is enough, others say a homemade salt pellet is needed to finish the job.
Among the gun enthusiasts, there is division over whether shooting a trapped wasp is sporting. While some recommend a target laced with jam.
Alan Witherby, of Milford on Sea, Hants, argued that conserve is against the rules of natural justice. "Surely every self-respecting sportsman knows one does not shoot a sitting wasp. In Hampshire we shoot the driven wasp, high and fast flying. In a good summer I have been known to bag as many as one."
Another popular approach is the high pressure hose. Many readers appear to combine the chore of watering beds with the more exciting sport of wasp dousing.
Other techniques highlighted by readers include snipping wasps on a window pane with embroidery scissors and a swift clout with a daily, ideally broadsheet, newspaper.
Rita Greet of Liss, Hants, recalled dipping a finger in an egg cup of gin and allowing a wasp to settle on the finger. "Half a minute later it took off in ever decreasing circles and flew into the herbaceous border to sleep it off," she said. "It didn't bother us again."
For those with sufficient grit, nothing beats the thrill of extreme wasp fighting – a battle without weapons to the death. "Shooting wasps is for wimps," said Peter Sweetman of Madehurst, West Sussex. "I've been safely killing the little blighters with my bare hands for more than 40 years. A quick nip between forefinger and thumbnail and off with their heads. Watch their back end though - it can turn rather too quickly for some people."
As for the well documented favourites - a jam jar with water, or a well aimed boot - there was little enthusiasm among readers.
Professional pest controllers say one-on-one battles with wasps may be acceptable, but amateurs should avoid taking on a nest. And while wasps can be a nuisance in the late summer, in the spring and early summer they are beneficial, eating greenfly and other garden pests.
Richard Strand, of the British Pest Control Association, said that in spring and early summer wasps were usually only aggressive when they or their nests were threatened by movement or a bright torch.
However, their behaviour and diet changes in July when they go in search of more sugary food. "It seems they get more aggressive when they've been at the rotting fruit," Mr Strand said.
He added that it was too early to predict how many wasps this summer would bring, but it was sure to provide plenty of opportunities for dedicated hunters.
Readers' guide to fine art of killing a wasp
By David Derbyshire
(Filed: 18/01/2005)
Of all the inventions bequeathed to the world by Sir George Sitwell, the eccentric father of the poet Edith, perhaps the greatest was a tiny revolver for shooting wasps.
Seated in the grounds of Renishaw Hall in Derbyshire, the amateur landscape gardener would be found taking pot shots at passing wasps with limited success but enormous satisfaction.
More than 60 years after his death, the spirit of Sir George lives on. According to a flurry of correspondence from readers of The Telegraph, the fine art of wasp shooting is alive and well. Which is more than can be said for many of the wasps involved.
For the last two weeks, the letters page has been buzzing with advice on the best way of dispatching the pests.
In the cycle of good and bad summers for wasps, 2004 was one of the worst in recent memory. A combination of a mild winter and warm spring created ideal breeding conditions and turned Britain into a nation of picnic and barbecue flappers during the late summer.
The tradition for shooting insects goes back hundreds of years. Queen Christina of Sweden had a pathological hatred of fleas in the 17th century and is said to have kept a small cannon in her bedroom to fire shots at the insects.
Paul Hargreaves, of West Grinstead, West Sussex, suggested a modern day variant – using a Berloque Pistole loaded with a 78 rpm gramophone needle. "This unique miniature pistol makes short work of wasps at distances of up to six feet," he said.
The disadvantage is that anyone attempting to massacre wasps with the pistol could be risking a jail sentence. According to the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, the weapon is classified as a prohibited weapon under the Firearms Act. Owners could face five years in jail.
A less risky attack can, according to many readers, be made with air guns. Some believe a blast of air at close range is enough, others say a homemade salt pellet is needed to finish the job.
Among the gun enthusiasts, there is division over whether shooting a trapped wasp is sporting. While some recommend a target laced with jam.
Alan Witherby, of Milford on Sea, Hants, argued that conserve is against the rules of natural justice. "Surely every self-respecting sportsman knows one does not shoot a sitting wasp. In Hampshire we shoot the driven wasp, high and fast flying. In a good summer I have been known to bag as many as one."
Another popular approach is the high pressure hose. Many readers appear to combine the chore of watering beds with the more exciting sport of wasp dousing.
Other techniques highlighted by readers include snipping wasps on a window pane with embroidery scissors and a swift clout with a daily, ideally broadsheet, newspaper.
Rita Greet of Liss, Hants, recalled dipping a finger in an egg cup of gin and allowing a wasp to settle on the finger. "Half a minute later it took off in ever decreasing circles and flew into the herbaceous border to sleep it off," she said. "It didn't bother us again."
For those with sufficient grit, nothing beats the thrill of extreme wasp fighting – a battle without weapons to the death. "Shooting wasps is for wimps," said Peter Sweetman of Madehurst, West Sussex. "I've been safely killing the little blighters with my bare hands for more than 40 years. A quick nip between forefinger and thumbnail and off with their heads. Watch their back end though - it can turn rather too quickly for some people."
As for the well documented favourites - a jam jar with water, or a well aimed boot - there was little enthusiasm among readers.
Professional pest controllers say one-on-one battles with wasps may be acceptable, but amateurs should avoid taking on a nest. And while wasps can be a nuisance in the late summer, in the spring and early summer they are beneficial, eating greenfly and other garden pests.
Richard Strand, of the British Pest Control Association, said that in spring and early summer wasps were usually only aggressive when they or their nests were threatened by movement or a bright torch.
However, their behaviour and diet changes in July when they go in search of more sugary food. "It seems they get more aggressive when they've been at the rotting fruit," Mr Strand said.
He added that it was too early to predict how many wasps this summer would bring, but it was sure to provide plenty of opportunities for dedicated hunters.
