Wasps getting nasty!

[Jax]

We used to get a few wood wasps round here, not seen any for a few years now though, they look like evil killers from hell but infact are harmless.

[Manchester_Sunset]

Wasp came into kitchen yesterday, tried to flatten it and then was having a go at me. Opened a door to let it out and it decided to go into the coat cupboard instead. So i locked it in there ha ha! Haven't seen it since.

[Jax]

Wasp came into kitchen yesterday, tried to flatten it and then was having a go at me. Opened a door to let it out and it decided to go into the coat cupboard instead. So i locked it in there ha ha! Haven't seen it since.

That is because it is busy building a new nest in your fav coat

[kev f]

Anyone noticed how nasty wasps are getting? Mum got stung just putting washing out and dad nearly got stung attending to the cabbages which then chased him round garden. Quite a few of them this year.

why did the cabbage chase your dad?

i discovered a wasps nest in the attic earlier this spring , straight up the hardware store for some nest killer and it had 2 doses. i can't say i've noticed that many about this year to be honest, even in the hot spell last month, just waft them out the way with your hand and they soon buzz off

[Methuselah]

why did the cabbage chase your dad?

i discovered a wasps nest in the attic earlier this spring , straight up the hardware store for some nest killer and it had 2 doses. i can't say i've noticed that many about this year to be honest, even in the hot spell last month, just waft them out the way with your hand and they soon buzz off

Attack of the Killer cabbages...It was a 'brassica'! 

[Timini Cricket]

I saw a man eating cabbage once... it was horrible!

[Methuselah]

Just throw apple cores into the far corners of your garden...that'll be the little bar stewards busy.

[Habsish]

"i discovered a wasps nest in the attic earlier this spring , straight up the hardware store for some nest killer and it had 2 doses."

As far as I am aware it is only the queen that over winters. So in the spring any nest was last years and empty. Seems that 2 does might not have been needed.

http://www.rentokil.co.uk/blog/wasps-in-winter/

[frogesque]

Spent part of the afternoon weeding round and under a shrub chock full of wasps feeding on nectar. Buzzing was a bit disconcerting at times but I didn't bother them and they didn't bother me. Bit early for them getting nasty, it's usually after the best blackberries are gone and the first nip of frost that they start lashing out.

[kev f]

"i discovered a wasps nest in the attic earlier this spring , straight up the hardware store for some nest killer and it had 2 doses."

As far as I am aware it is only the queen that over winters. So in the spring any nest was last years and empty. Seems that 2 does might not have been needed.

http://www.rentokil.co.uk/blog/wasps-in-winter/

It was late may iirc . i only did it twice because the mrs insisted. she could hear noise which turned out to be birds nesting in next doors attic. Going to go up and remove it before winter

[Heisenberg]

SO MANY wasps this year around my area. My house backs on to a nature reserve which im sure doesnt help. Must have about 30 in my conservatory yesterday, the kids scream and so does the wife and in I come like indiana Jones with my executioner fly zapper....

 

So many more this year than last....why do they keep coming in, surely the nature reserve has more to offer them than my xbox 360?

[frogesque]

SO MANY wasps this year around my area. My house backs on to a nature reserve which im sure doesnt help. Must have about 30 in my conservatory yesterday, the kids scream and so does the wife and in I come like indiana Jones with my executioner fly zapper....

 

So many more this year than last....why do they keep coming in, surely the nature reserve has more to offer them than my xbox 360?

I blame it on the parents, no control over the kids. Should be out doing the chores, collecting nectar, chopping up bugs for the wee ones and collecting wood for nest, instead they out playing about with the the xbox in that damned nature conservatory and risking themselves getting zapped, next thing you know they'll be hanging round the blackberry bushes all day getting drunk on fermenting juice. Wouldn't have happened in in my day bzzz . . . bzzz . . . bzzzzzzz.!

[Methuselah]

Seen quite a few, of late, but not had any problem with them...

[Buzzit]

And this just in from our newsdesk "Wasps attack and Bees sting" "Parliament recalled from recess to debate how nasty the Wasps are, whether they are attacking indiscriminately and whether they should support the rebel Bees by supplying nectar reserves.

 

Quoting William Hague "I will be putting a motion forward to the UN Security Council to strongly condemn indiscriminate Wasp attacks" POTUS said "Wasps have crossed over the red line next to my house and I told them not to so now I have to attack them" Russia said "Wasps attack everyone knows that so we should leave them to do what nature intended as they are protecting their territory"

[Methuselah]

Seen quite a few, of late, but not had any problem with them...

And, no sooner had I spoken, we've just had a first familial hand-flapping panic! 

[gottolovethisweather]

And this just in from our newsdesk "Wasps attack and Bees sting" "Parliament recalled from recess to debate how nasty the Wasps are, whether they are attacking indiscriminately and whether they should support the rebel Bees by supplying nectar reserves.

 

Quoting William Hague "I will be putting a motion forward to the UN Security Council to strongly condemn indiscriminate Wasp attacks" POTUS said "Wasps have crossed over the red line next to my house and I told them not to so now I have to attack them" Russia said "Wasps attack everyone knows that so we should leave them to do what nature intended as they are protecting their territory"

 

And with a name like Buzzit, you should certainly know best. I must say, we do need to respect all wildlife, even wasps I guess, which aren't high on my "to admire list". The Natural World is facing biodiversity losses all over and these critters at the bottom of the food chain need more respect than ever.

[Beverley Lass]

Attempted to dine al fresco again this eve...flaming flipping wasps! Did manage to knuckle one right in the chops

 

Eww, did you still eat the chops ? 

 

B.

[SomeLikeItHot]

They are absolutely everywhere at the moment. A nest somewhere in our roof cavity, not accessible but they are flying in the attic space in some numbers. Bought a burger on the weekend when out, and nearly ate one multiple times as they swarmed for the sauce everytime it moved away from my mouth . Kids had the same issue eating icecreams, with them landing on their sticky hands.

Then we go to a pub for dinner and are told to eat inside, as "We have a wasp problem", yes you and everyone else.

Edited August 29, 2013 by SomeLikeItHot

[Jax]

Bugge-rs were out in force at the weekend, a few were given a damn fine beating for their trouble.

[Cheshire Freeze]

They're just horrible, vile things. No other way of putting it. The thread title says wasps getting nasty but you should see me when the fly spray comes out. Ain't no mercy there lol.

[4wd]

Attempted to dine al fresco again this eve...flaming flipping wasps! Did manage to knuckle one right in the chops

Poor thing probably got a black eye lol.

When you kill one it releases distress hormones and you are in real danger of getting multiple attacks.

It is hard but just ignoring them works best although they do have a way of getting caught in hair or clothing.

There's really no need to do away with them unless a nest is really close to somewhere you must go.

 

[Buzzit]

And with a name like Buzzit, you should certainly know best. I must say, we do need to respect all wildlife, even wasps I guess, which aren't high on my "to admire list". The Natural World is facing biodiversity losses all over and these critters at the bottom of the food chain need more respect than ever.

Yes I do I recommend everyone watch "More Than Honey" if you can - it is amazing http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/brainwaves/2013/06/19/more-than-honey-a-new-documentary-offers-spectacular-close-ups-of-bees-mid-flight-and-perspective-on-the-worldwide-honey-bee-crisis/

 

The step father of an old girlfriend of mine is a very well known Entomologist and I had the pleasure of learning a lot about insects from him. On one particular day he received a parcel of 30 live queen bees - each one was housed in a matchbox (in which they can survive for quite a while) we released them all and that was a sight to see

[Crepuscular Ray]

If you want to eat al fresco, it can help if you do something as simple as putting a bit of bread with a pile of jam on it at either end of the garden, well away from you. They'll go for that, rather than your food. That's the theory, anyway.

 

And don't flap at them.

 

The latter is advice I don't always take myself as I'm terrified of the things!

[4wd]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-23863727

Wasps got the upperhand there.  
No idea why they decided to call them hornets, I'm sure they weren't.

Another case where the colony perceived accidental damage to the nest as an attack to be repelled.

[The watcher]

Found this quite an interesting way to describe their late season stinging spree.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/drunk-wasps-may-attack-us-warns-red-cross-8798272.html