Jump to content
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?
IGNORED

Where Are All The Wasps


UV-RAY

Recommended Posts

Posted
  • Location: Ribble Valley
  • Location: Ribble Valley

As we approach Autumn has anyone else noticed the distinct lack of Wasps, I think I've seen 3 all Summer and one of them looked like a dying Queen in July. In all my time of studying nature I've never known such low Wasp totals before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: LANCS. 12 miles NE of Preston at the SW corner of the Bowland Fells. 550ft, 170m approx.
  • Location: LANCS. 12 miles NE of Preston at the SW corner of the Bowland Fells. 550ft, 170m approx.

Yes. As I mentioned on the butterfly thread 2 or 3 weks back --. Not a wasp here. Saw a queen or two in Spring, but that's all.. Been farming here for almost 50 years and never been without wasps.

Maybe went too cold in late Spring -- or drowned.

I've been told it's been a poor year for insects up here and thus there's a knock-on effect on the bird population too.

Very many wasps nests last year. We had a bumper apple crop then.

A very poor tree fruit year this year.

Oh just noticed your location 7 of 9. We share the weather misery! Or the pleasure at having no wasp menace!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Newbury, Berkshire. 107m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Summer:sunny, some Thunder,Winter:cold & snowy spells,Other:transitional
  • Location: Newbury, Berkshire. 107m ASL.

I've been told it's been a poor year for insects up here and thus there's a knock-on effect on the bird population too.

Yes and I would say that has pretty much been replicated across the UK, barring the odd exception. As for Wasps, I'm not really sure but I would imagine the workers never collected enough material to completely build their colonies. More appropriately, Bees have particularly suffered this year and you will be able to see the evidence of this with the price of honey sky rocketing later in the year. Not a good year for farmers overall but this weekends and next week's weather should please a few at least. good.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Welwyn Herts 115m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Surprises
  • Location: Welwyn Herts 115m ASL

Bad year for fruit may have something to do with it.. apple trees have suffered this year - thought ours were dying, loads of blossom in spring then massive leaf loss recently. Spoke to a few others and were reassured their's were in the same condition. Had lots of bees in the garden this year though which is a pleasant surprise. I guess the wasps will be back with a vengeance next year ! We call them 'bees gone wrong' :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Farnham, Surrey
  • Weather Preferences: Cold, Sunny and Dry with a Hard Frost.
  • Location: Farnham, Surrey

Wasps in low numbers here are well! However, apples trees have large numbers of apples. What is puzzling me is what has happened to the bracken round here. It's died en-masse. Looks like it usually does in November not in late August! Very odd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: spalding, sth lincs
  • Location: spalding, sth lincs

all the wasps have nested in my neighbours chimney, looks like hundreds up there, as for the fruit trees, my apple tree has looked very poor this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Pant, Shropshire
  • Weather Preferences: Cold and snow, atlantic storms, hot sun and thunderstorms
  • Location: Pant, Shropshire

I can confirm that they are all in my garden terrorising the kids. Already dispensed with one nest in the bird box and still they keep coming from somewhere!

I do find it interesting how one small insect can cause such abject fear in humans, I too go into near blind panic when a wasp comes within stinging range, no idea why just can't help it.

M

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Barnehurst nr Bexleyheath, Kent
  • Location: Barnehurst nr Bexleyheath, Kent

I do find it interesting how one small insect can cause such abject fear in humans, I too go into near blind panic when a wasp comes within stinging range, no idea why just can't help it.

M

Probably because they are nasty buggers that sting for the sake of it!

I too run a mile if one comes near me. It's even worse sitting in a window seat on a packed train with one buzzing near me help.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

I do believe that it's coz they're black and yellow - most, if not all, primates are scared s******s of any animal that's black and yellow? It might well be down to our evolutionary history?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Pant, Shropshire
  • Weather Preferences: Cold and snow, atlantic storms, hot sun and thunderstorms
  • Location: Pant, Shropshire

Could well be Rybris, it is utterly irrational, although snow raven is quite right that they are vicious bugg*ers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, heat, sunshine...
  • Location: Beccles, Suffolk.

Could well be Rybris, it is utterly irrational, although snow raven is quite right that they are vicious bugg*ers.

Absolutely Moomin. I'm scared of wasps, even though their stings hardly even affect me, But, bees (to which I'm allergic!) don't bother me at all...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Welwyn Herts 115m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Surprises
  • Location: Welwyn Herts 115m ASL

It depends what you mean by "wasps"?

There are all sorts of wasps, vespular vulgaris gives the rest a bad name. A lot of other types are good for pest control.

whilst I appreciate your positive wasp ambassadorial comment I have yet to meet a nice one! but I guess the good guys are even rarer this year search.gif

One thing's for sure the lack of wasps here mean that the garden furniture isn't getting smaller - they eat the wood for the making of their nests.. I've watched the little buggers do it.. takes an hour to strip 3cms about a mm wide. god help you if you intervene.. and why waste a yr cider on a distraction when there's plenty of newspaper for that satisfying SWAT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Runcorn, Cheshire
  • Weather Preferences: Snowy winters, hot, sunny springs and summers.
  • Location: Runcorn, Cheshire

I don't recall seeing a single wasp here this year, weird. Usually they're all out chasing ice creams.

They will be here next month I guess, September is when they usually peak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Sunderland
  • Weather Preferences: Hot Summer, Snowy winter and thunderstorms all year round!
  • Location: Sunderland

Why are there no wasps?.....well, on the grapevine, I heard a rumour that due to public sector cuts, the workers voted to go on a 3 day week and are now on strike,

(well, I thought it was mildly amusing...lol)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Sunderland
  • Weather Preferences: Hot Summer, Snowy winter and thunderstorms all year round!
  • Location: Sunderland

I can confirm that they are all in my garden terrorising the kids. Already dispensed with one nest in the bird box and still they keep coming from somewhere!

I do find it interesting how one small insect can cause such abject fear in humans, I too go into near blind panic when a wasp comes within stinging range, no idea why just can't help it.

M

probably because if you get stung, it hurts like buggery......I don't care if a wasp wears see-through langerie and is handing out £50 notes, if it comes near me it get's swatted or I break the land speed record trying to get away from it!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Skirlaugh, East Yorkshire
  • Location: Skirlaugh, East Yorkshire

Wasps are a massive phobia of mine, Im terrified of them and get into a blind panic if Im stuck in a room with one. Around May this year we had a nest in an airbrick in the back garden but this was quickly dispensed with using powder (followed by running like hell in case any came out to attack me!).

Fortunately Ive seen very few this year, long may it continue!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Seen very few I guess they've gone the same way as the rest of insect life. Reduced by insecticides and cooler weather. It seems the days of having your windscreen covered in bugs after a summer drive have gone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Weather Preferences: Cold and Snowy, Hot and Dry, Blizzard Conditions
  • Weather Preferences: Cold and Snowy, Hot and Dry, Blizzard Conditions

Why are all the wasps gone?

Because of my enlargement machine! I basically enlarged a can of wasp spray and sprayed it into the atmosphere,resulting in a big reduction :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
  • Location: Warminster, Wiltshire

It seems the days of having your windscreen covered in bugs after a summer drive have gone.

If you'd posted that last Friday I'd have asked you to come clean my windscreen after we drove 200 miles on Thursday afternoon!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: NE of Kendal 215m asl
  • Location: NE of Kendal 215m asl

Not sure about a lack of them round here, had to destroy 3 nests and got stung for the first time in 4 years. Had a really bad reaction this time, got to carry an EpiPen now, hopefully thats the last sting I get!

Anyone else allergic to wasps who have had immunotherapy? Being a gardener I get stung quite often, been careful for the past 4 years, usually get too close to a nest, either in a hedge I'm cutting or this year it was in a compost heap I was digging out. No idea they are there until I feel the sting. Just wondering if immunotherapy works as the next sting could be serious.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Crewe, Cheshire
  • Weather Preferences: Snow, storms and other extremes
  • Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Think I've seen a grand total of 1 this year so far and I can't say I'm complaining about it either. I hate the vicious little cretins!. The thing with wasps is, as others have mentioned, they take little provocation to attack- it's like if you even look at them the wrong way you're in for it.

As for bees, don't mind them in the slightest- I find them to have a more laid back temperament and only sting as a last resort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Bangor, Northern Ireland (20m asl, near coast)
  • Weather Preferences: Any weather will do.
  • Location: Bangor, Northern Ireland (20m asl, near coast)

Have seen plenty in the last week, little blighters keep buzzing around and hindering me in work. I do go a bit nuts when they come near me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...