Tweets--


Well, since I started down this slippery slope, I find
it necessary to make this one more post to clean it up
a bit. One can question the source of the Extension Agent
but, for better or worse, here's how to find out about
the lack of digestive enzyme in yellowjackets I posted about
a while back.


Big Thank you to Charles Evans, for the following post.
The information is available for anyone who
wants to hear the Extension agent's rationale for
why yellowjackets are so persnickety this time of
year..I dialed up the local number as the the #800
didn't work for me and got the taped presentation on
yellowjackets..the explanation is such that it includes
much of the information already shared..i.e., Janet's
post about the confusion caused by the break up of the
nests..however, the narrator of the tape also makes
the comment that the wasps do not have the necessary
enzyme for digestion of their food unless they overfeed
the larvae who produce it for them..this results in
chaos for the workers when the nest breaks up and there
are no more larvae to provide that necessary intermediate
step. Compulsive overfeeding would make a certain amount
of sense in guaranteeing the survival of the *nestlings.*
In any case, call the number yourselves if you're
interested in wasp behavior..

Tom

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 15:50:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Charles Evans <evansmic at u.washington.edu>
To: footet at elwha.evergreen.edu
Subject: enzymes & wasp stings

My source on this is the Cooperative Extension Service of Washington
State University and King County. They have a taped explanation of this
and other facts entitled "About Yellow Jackets". It is available 24 hours
a day. The telephone number I use is 296 3425. At the prompt you are
asked to enter the tape number, which is 1243. Their leaflet states that
outside the tollfree King County area one should use 1-800-325-6165. Ask
for "Dial Extension [extension 3425]".