Strange discovery

[Gilberdyke John]

This morning I was lifting a bale of hay from the stack and after removal a cloud of very tiny but bee shaped insects came boiling out of a gap beneath where it had been. The light levels and their speed of movement made it impossible to get a proper look. Most of them circled me a couple of times then headed off into open air and light.
The only image I got was of the vacated nest which I've tried unsuccessfully to add to this post.
Any thoughts on what they might be?

Edit I've been back for a better look with a veil and better light levels. The nest appears to be a paper construction and a few insects are coming and going. They are about 1/3 or 1/2 the size of common wasps and have little to no interest in the human with a camera.
I'll not need to disturb the next (big) bale for 7 or 8 weeks so they'll likely have finished occupation by then.

 

[enrico]

Would love to see the image you for of the best
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[Gilberdyke John]

Would love to see the image you for of the best
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Trying again with reduced file

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Would love to see the image you for of the best
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Again

 

[enrico]

Does look like wasps but I am no expert. Hope someone can answer it
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[Beefriendly]

Possibly Polistes dominula the European Paper Wasp.....

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Would love to see the image you for of the best
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Caught in a poly bag and brought out into the daylight. It wouldn't keep still to get facial image

 

[Beefriendly]

Not 100% sure but it does look very much like the european paper wasp.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Not 100% sure but it does look very much like the european paper wasp.

Thanks. This nest is no threat to anyone so they can happily co-exist with the mammalian and avian occupants here

 

[enrico]

Still looks like a normal wasp to me!!!!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Still looks like a normal wasp to me!!!!

Too small. It's about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of a normal wasp. I've seen lots of normal and median wasps and wouldnt have asked about those.

 

[kazmcc]

It's Vespula vulgaris - common wasp. I moved a nest last weekend and the workers were really small. They can vary somewhat in size depending on nest conditions, food etc.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes Karen, I’ve noticed the workers seem different sizes. We had a nest under the eaves in a House Martin cup and I used to watch them. Then they started building outside it till the paper construction was three times the size of the cup so it had to go.
Most of the wasp nests I see are in old mole tunnels

 

[kazmcc]

They had a slow start to the year with the beast from the east. We saw it in some bumbles too but they are catching up now. It's going to be interesting to find out exactly how the weather affected them when the data collected is analysed.

 

[enrico]

Thanks Caz. Thought it was!!!!!
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