Wasp Drones

[Jeff Buzz]

Do we get wasp drones I am catching a number of double size wasps in my "High Efficiency wasp traps set down wind""" Do you get queens flying around this time of year or could they be wasp drones????

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Hornets. Lots about.

 

[Jeff Buzz]

No not hornets I know the difference, not as big or fierce looking I will take a picture later unless someone comes up with the answer. Where Karol he will know.

 

[gregior]

wasp drones have long thin abdomen and very long antenna.About 2x the length of workers but approx the same width.

 

[madasafish]

I wondered what I had caught!
Thanks

 

[TOBY-3652]

they will be median wasps... treated 2 nests today outside in trees// bushes they are a lot bigger than the common ones

 

[Karol]

I concur from what little information has been given that these 'large' wasps are probably drones. As Gregior quite rightly says drones have a long abdomen (an extra segment compared to females) and long antennae. It's unusual for drones to get caught in traps which suggests that there may be some environmental stressors at play in your location forcing them out of their nests prior to them embarking on their mating rituals. The bad news is that this is another sign that wasps will start sweet feeding on mass pretty soon.

The sexual progeny of Dolichovespula media are pretty large and quite fearsome but the workers aren't much bigger than Vespula germanica and aare usually quite dark in colour with narrow yellow bands. It sounds as though Toby you have treated median nests just as they are maturing and full of queens and drones. Queen media wasps look very similar in appearance to hornets. Again this is another sign that things will be hotting up pretty soon.

 

[TOBY-3652]

I concur from what little information has been given that these 'large' wasps are probably drones. As Gregior quite rightly says drones have a long abdomen (an extra segment compared to females) and long antennae. It's unusual for drones to get caught in traps which suggests that there may be some environmental stressors at play in your location forcing them out of their nests prior to them embarking on their mating rituals. The bad news is that this is another sign that wasps will start sweet feeding on mass pretty soon.

The sexual progeny of Dolichovespula media are pretty large and quite fearsome but the workers aren't much bigger than Vespula germanica and aare usually quite dark in colour with narrow yellow bands. It sounds as though Toby you have treated median nests just as they are maturing and full of queens and drones. Queen media wasps look very similar in appearance to hornets. Again this is another sign that things will be hotting up pretty soon.

good information.. I wondered when I treated median nests that some wasps were a lot bigger than the others now I know ..... thanks