Posted to the Wildlife questions forum
3 September 2009 11:59 PM
pauwen signs out again
4 September 2009 7:03 PM
I think towards the end of the summer the wasps are always more troublesome ! It's almost as if they go into hyper overdrive, sensing the change in the weather. I haven't been close enough to any this year to say if they are smaller or not - and we've had so much rain that I'm not out much so haven't seen many !
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
4 September 2009 7:13 PM
Hi Pauwen
I agree with Happy Hippy they do seem to go into overdrive this time of year. I don't get out so I can't say if they are smaller...so you could be right.
Maureen x
"Birds of a Feather".... ~( :o )
4 September 2009 7:23 PM
Hi Pauwen,
pauwen:Does anyone agree with me that wasps seem smaller and more vicious. I got bitten the other day , it was extremely soar and they were determined to stíng.
It could be that the wasps you have seen are field digger wasps. They are smaller than the common wasp (12mm for the field digger 17mm for the common) . They live in deep burrows in sandy soil and the breeding cells are stocked with flies that they immobilise with there sting.
If you are in an area where there is sandy soil it could be these that you have seen.
Graham
Be Inspired,
Dream it, Crave it, Work for it, Live it.
LRB suggested this post as the answer
4 September 2009 7:55 PM
Maureen: "I agree with Happy Hippy they do seem to go into overdrive this time of year..."
"I agree with Happy Hippy they do seem to go into overdrive this time of year..."
I believe that the reason there are so many wasps around at this time of the year is something to do with most of the colony dying off before the winter leaving only the young queens who will hibernate and then build a new colony next year, so the workers lose their social structure and so have to fend for themselves until they die.
Of course, this does not explain the size, so Nestbox is probably right about the different species!
4 September 2009 7:56 PM
Hi Maureen
Yes, the Wasps are not so happy now. they are getting grumpy, and there appears to be less of them about.
From what we have seem they are a lot smaller this year.
As for the Bumble Bees I have seen some really large ones
Strange how Wasps and Bees differ in size from year to year
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Another day 'birding' means another happy moment in life
Regards Kathy and Dave x
4 September 2009 8:55 PM
4 September 2009 9:09 PM
Just for info, I have seen far fewer wasps and bees this year than I have in the last nine years. During a normal (whatever that is!) summer at least once a day there is either a wasp or bee in the house trying to get back out but this summer there has been none. And they haven't been around outside the house as much either, which is peculiar as I have flowering shrubs and plants in my yard.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
4 September 2009 11:15 PM
5 September 2009 8:34 PM
Oh, that's okay then - they are obviously on their summer holidays... Please tell them from me to have a lovely time!
Squirrel
5 September 2009 10:11 PM
Funny thing is wasps do tend to get a bit more aggresive nearer the end of the summer but the six or seven I saw on my bird table the other day, tended to be more interested in the apple halves than me. Mind you I didn't bother to get too close. Was stung once when I was about nine or ten and even all these years later wouldn't want to repeat the experience. Ouch!
8 September 2009 9:16 AM
They do seem to be a little smaller. but can assure you they sting just the same, but as we were at a picnic site on the River Medway maybe they were the ones that burrow in the sandy soil. When we arrived it was as though they knew new people had arrived it seemed as though a squadron of them were despatched to investigate what lovely food we had. Having spent the morning swatting at them (which I am told you are not suppose to do) I was playing cricket with the Grandchildren when I was stung inside my arm it wasn't too painful that day but for the next week it certainly was. Try as I might I cannot like these little chaps, although in my garden I have had no trouble at all.
Blackbird suggested this post as the answer
8 September 2009 2:10 PM
21 September 2009 6:02 PM
nestbox: It could be that the wasps you have seen are field digger wasps. They are smaller than the common wasp (12mm for the field digger 17mm for the common) . They live in deep burrows in sandy soil and the breeding cells are stocked with flies that they immobilise with there sting.
Here's a photo of a digger wasp I took in Cornwall a couple of weeks ago. He wasn't at all agressive towards me,
but was quick to jump on a fly!! (not very sharp as both were moving about somewhat!)
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
21 September 2009 7:43 PM
Great picture story there MarJus!