Sir, - Peter Molloy wonders (January 9th) whether the wasp on his patio on January 3rd was the present year's or last year's model. The ascertainment of this is quite simple.
Wasps reach maturity in their second year, so, to determine one's age, it is merely necessary to run the creature onto its back, and examine whether it has an enlarged voicebox (males) or udders (female).
I thought everyone knew that. - Yours, etc.,
D. K. Henderson, Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.