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Letter: Letters : Mobbing the mag

Published 14 September 1996

From Brian Henstock, University of Cambridge

While reading the 24 August issue in the open air last week, I noticed a very
peculiar phenomenon.

I was aware of a group of insects hovering around a shrub near where I sat.
Not having any training in entomology, I cannot identify the species, but they
were like half-size wasps, and they had the ability to hover absolutely
motionless.

Anyway, when I opened the magazine to read the contents page, the insects
absolutely mobbed me, seemingly interested in the yellow area of the “Planet
Science” advertisement inside the front cover, the part where your Web address
appears.

I tried to shake them off, but they hovered resolutely above the yellow area.
Finally, I turned the page, and they immediately flew off and showed no further
interest. We examined the page under UV to look for fluorescence, but found
none.

Issue no. 2047 published 14 September 1996

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