Bees v Wasps

[Freddywasadevil]

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[oliver90owner]

So untrue. Wasps have an important niche in the environment. Scavenger ( undertaker), grub (pest) controller, pollinators, etc. Many do not have a stinger, even.

That comparison is just so biased.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Talk to Karol, our resident wasp man.

There are a myriad of wasp species in this country and they are important pollinators and pest controllers.

Last year was quite a difficult one for wasp attack on beehives but you know keeping a colony strong, reducing your entrances and possibly protecting the hives with high energy traps should do the trick.

This blanket hatred of such a fine insect is to my mind badly misplaced and largely based on ignorance

 

[bontbee]

Talk to Karol, our resident wasp man.

There are a myriad of wasp species in this country and they are important pollinators and pest controllers.

Last year was quite a difficult one for wasp attack on beehives but you know keeping a colony strong, reducing your entrances and possibly protecting the hives with high energy traps should do the trick.

This blanket hatred of such a fine insect is to my mind badly misplaced and largely based on ignorance

 

[Freddywasadevil]

What a pair of contrary Marys you are. It's supposed to be funny. Every animal and insect has a place in this world. Love them or hate them.


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[Midland Beek]

What a pair of contrary Marys you are. It's supposed to be funny. Every animal and insect has a place in this world. Love them or hate them.

I think it was almost funny. And can't you lot leave talk of Mary out of anything?

Wasps might actually do a fair bit of pollination late in the season, like in the case of ivy. Wasps are reluctant to sting if they are indeed of a stinging species. They are important predators in the environment, catching small insects and the like.

 

[3bees]

How does the saying go, 'you can please some of the people..........'

It made me smile, thanks for the light humour.

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Don't agree but made me smile. Don't agree that they are reluctant to sting either. I did not know one was on the back of my arm until I felt the sting.
Wasps are one of natures great scavengers cleaning up winter destruction and autumnal over-ripeness. Maybe the alcohol is what makes them unpredictable. A bit like some humans who have been on the bevvy.

 

[Beekill]

I get wasps nests in my eaves nearly every year, sometimes right outside the back door but have never been stung or attacked by them. They just harmlessly go about their business. I can't say the same about the honey bees though. Honey bees attack every year without any provocation. They are always aggressive. Requeening seems to make no difference.

 

[madasafish]

I get wasps nests in my eaves nearly every year, sometimes right outside the back door but have never been stung or attacked by them. They just harmlessly go about their business. I can't say the same about the honey bees though. Honey bees attack every year without any provocation. They are always aggressive. Requeening seems to make no difference.

The only person stung by honey bees in our garden has been me. Children, visitors, family all unscathed.

The only person stung by wasps in our garden for the past 10 years? Me.

The only person who gardens? Me... (well 99%)

 

[Karol]

Well....... I think this calls for a little quite reflection and a smattering of philosophy - how many of us can live without an *******?

 

[oliver90owner]

Well pointed out, Karol.

My initial post was there to prevent anyone new to the forum seeing that and tarring all beekeepers with the same brush. Just completely out of order, IMO.

Later, likely the OP had second thoughts and tried to pass it off as only a bit of humour, but only after the obvious response from sensible people on the forum. It is attitudes like that which are noted by serious would-be forum members.

 

[Edwardking]

Well pointed out, Karol.

My initial post was there to prevent anyone new to the forum seeing that and tarring all beekeepers with the same brush. Just completely out of order, IMO.

Later, likely the OP had second thoughts and tried to pass it off as only a bit of humour, but only after the obvious response from sensible people on the forum. It is attitudes like that which are noted by serious would-be forum members.

I think some people need to lighten up a bit. It was clearly meant as a humorous posting and should have been treated as such. Instead, IMHO, new forum members will be put off by the reactions to the posting.

 

[Karol]

A depressed bloke goes up to the bar in a pub and orders a pint to drown his sorrows. Sitting next to him is a dishevelled and beat up looking wasp with her head in a G&T. She looks up at him through miserable drunken bruised eyes and asks him why he's so sad?

"Just left my wife with a face as though she'd been chewing a wasp! So what's your story?" he asks the wasp in return.

"I must've just met your wife!"

 

[Heather]

Just seen the first wasps of the year... Here we go.

 

[oliver90owner]

EK,

You clearly need to read previous postings on the value of wasps and some beekeepers' attitudes towards them. Distasteful of some, to say the least.

Get real. It was put up for a reason - poor humour or the poster was serious about his attitude towards wasps. I actually think it was the latter. You can please yourself on the subject. Take note, this was posted on the general beekeeping forum, not on the off-topic chat section.

 

[Karol]

I think there are points well made on both sides. The ecosystem that we live in is terribly fragile and incredibly valuable to us but being human we take a lot of it for granted and that goes across the board. The more I work with wasps the more profound is my respect for them. They are much maligned and at our huge cost. That said, how does one 'spread' the message without confrontation so that people remain receptive to an alien point of view? If water and oil didn't mix we wouldn't have milk and we need milk to enjoy honey! To my mind it's about being inclusive which requires I think a sense of humour upon which we can patiently build a better understanding. I'm glad to say that having just returned from a pest control exhibition, the worm is definitely turning - the true value of wasps is staring to be recognised.

 

[BeeJayBee]

The more I work with wasps the more profound is my respect for them. They are much maligned and at our huge cost.

And sensational stuff in the media isn't helpful.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
"Larger than a five pence piece, this huge hornet invaded a family home and took ten minutes to die after it was sprayed with poison."

 

[dpearce4]

I get wasps nests in my eaves nearly every year, sometimes right outside the back door but have never been stung or attacked by them. They just harmlessly go about their business. I can't say the same about the honey bees though. Honey bees attack every year without any provocation. They are always aggressive. Requeening seems to make no difference.

How would you know as you seem to have no hives.

 

[Karol]

And sensational stuff in the media isn't helpful.

The inflammatory language winds me up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tml?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Killer Asian hornet in the url?

Strikes me that newspapers are just as culpable under fair trade laws as are other businesses that make false claims/statements to sell their products.

[/quote]
"Larger than a five pence piece, this huge hornet invaded a family home and took ten minutes to die after it was sprayed with poison."[/QUOTE]

Just about every species of eusocial vespine wasp is bigger than a 5p piece!!!