The insect tsirah is of the wasp kind. God promised to send these insects before the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12 . Travellers relate that when a nest of such insects has been disturbed, the animals and people have fled in terror, the stings being very painful, and occasionally causing death. Some hang their nests to the boughs of trees, and these may be disturbed by an animal passing underneath.