How do badgers withstand being stung when they raid wasp nests?
鈥� I observed a badger excavating a wasp nest near Wrexham, UK, on a school biology trip in 1955. The raid was blindingly fast 鈥� the badger removed soil from the roof of the nest cavity with its feet, gobbled up much of the brood comb and departed.
The hundreds of disturbed wasps attacked the predator but it had apparent impunity due to its heavy coat, although I suspect the badger鈥檚 exposed nose received a number of stings. The nutritional value of a comb would be so great that suffering wasp stings would be well worth the pain.
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Philip Spradbery, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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