Wasp experts needed - strange behaviour!

[Excession]

I am hoping that Karol will respond to this, but rather than a DM thought it a good chance for the rest of us to learn something.

I went to a friends house to see if he had a wasp nest, based on reports of a ton of wasps on a tree.

Turned up, definitely no nest the tree is too small to hide one. (Twisted willow tree about 8 foot)
But there was hundreds of wasps on this tree.
I expected to see the predating on greenfly, (as per my plum tree) but on inspection there were no greenfly, or signs of predating anything.

My next thought was paper, as many seemed to be 'chewing' on the tree. But after watching for a while it was clear they were not harvesting paper. ( I have seen them doing this before on a shed)

I did think sap, but there wasn't any visible 'leaks' but some clustering around joints.

The wasps seemed to prefer to hang out in groups and were extremely docile. Not reacting to my close inspection or even an occasional swat... If anything they seemed drugged or dosey, ( some fell off the tree as I watched) but NO sign of any dead or dying.

A couple of pictures here might help, the one on the stones show the clustering without any obvious food source.

Any ideas what is going on?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have a planted out old Christmas tree. A nordman. There are wasps all over it from mid July every year. I always presumed they were after sweet resin.

 

[Excession]

I did give the tree a good rub, it wasn't sticky at all, I expected sap or resin. But couldn't feel any... You know that sticky feeling you get when you handle a nordman fir?

 

[kazmcc]

They could be roosting, or males congregating until a female comes by. I have taken some pictures of queens roosting on thistles for the night, and they seemed very dopey too. I can't make out much from your photos, as I'm very new to wasps and need much clearer pics to identify whether male or female. I'm sure Karol will tell us.

 

[Karol]

Willow trees have high concentrations of salicylates in their sap. Salicylic acid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salicylic_acid) or mono-hydroxybenzoic acid is closely related to methyl hydroxybenzoate which is a wasp pheromone (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0115943). It's quite common to see wasps congregating around willow trees especially if they've been pruned recently. Wasps also use willows as mating 'venues'. Hope this helps.

 

[Excession]

Karol you are a legend.
Thanks for bringing the knowledge!

I was wondering if there was something willow specific, but didn't know where to start!

 

[kazmcc]

Wasps also use willows as mating 'venues'. Hope this helps.

Which is pretty much what I said, but yes, thank you Karol for setting me on my path to find out more about our stripey yellow friends.

 

[geebee]

I am hoping that Karol will respond to this, but rather than a DM thought it a good chance for the rest of us to learn View attachment 12239View attachment 12240View attachment 12241something.

I went to a friends house to see if he had a wasp nest, based on reports of a ton of wasps on a tree.

Turned up, definitely no nest the tree is too small to hide one. (Twisted willow tree about 8 foot)
But there was hundreds of wasps on this tree.
I expected to see the predating on greenfly, (as per my plum tree) but on inspection there were no greenfly, or signs of predating anything.

My next thought was paper, as many seemed to be 'chewing' on the tree. But after watching for a while it was clear they were not harvesting paper. ( I have seen them doing this before on a shed)

I did think sap, but there wasn't any visible 'leaks' but some clustering around joints.

The wasps seemed to prefer to hang out in groups and were extremely docile. Not reacting to my close inspection or even an occasional swat... If anything they seemed drugged or dosey, ( some fell off the tree as I watched) but NO sign of any dead or dying.

A couple of pictures here might help, the one on the stones show the clustering without any obvious food source.

Any ideas what is going on?

I saw this behaviour on some Dahlias recently. No other plants in the same area had wasps on them nor could I find a nest.

 

[kazmcc]

For some species of wasp, their nests are producing queens and males now and coming to the end of their natural life, so you may see males congregating, awaiting a queen to pass by. I have seen queens roosting on very warm nights on thistles too.

 

[Stevie Day]

Willow trees have high concentrations of salicylates in their sap. Salicylic acid

So they're doped up on asprin?

 

[Erichalfbee]

So they're doped up on asprin?

No
Willow is not aspirin

 

[Stevie Day]

No
Willow is not aspirin

No, but salicylic acid is though.

Before aspirin was discovered. People used to chew willow bark to cure headaches & alleviate other aches & pains. Something I learnt in chemistry when I was at college c1997.

 

[BeeJayBee]

No, but salicylic acid is though.

Before aspirin was discovered. People used to chew willow bark to cure headaches & alleviate other aches & pains.

Same sort of thing as with quinine and chinchona bark, digitalin and foxglove, opiates and poppy seed infusions etc.. The main difference is that with modern medicines there's a measured (accurate) dose/strength of something that's created in a lab.

 

[Karol]

No, but salicylic acid is though.

Not quite. Aspirin is a synthetic compound made from salicylic acid and has less harmful side effects than salicylic acid.

Before aspirin was discovered. People used to chew willow bark to cure headaches & alleviate other aches & pains. Something I learnt in chemistry when I was at college c1997.

That bit is true.

Wasps don't get 'doped' up on willow as such, they are just attracted by the smell which mimics one of the natural pheromones that they are attracted to.

 

[Millet]

I know this is nothing to do with wasp's but when ever i have a new puppy i give them willow branches when they are in the teething stage as it apparently relieves the teething pain and it also help's to stop them chewing my slippers up.. lol

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
Hope it is ok to resurrect this wasp thread because I have strange wasp behaviour going on. Six wasps sit around one side of my Maisemore poly nuc in a little group. I hoover them up and then another six turn up. I have been wondering what they are up to, planning an organised wasp attack is my fear. So far the bees are defending valiantly. However, it would now appear that they are chewing the polystyrene? Is this in an attempt to get into the hive?

 

[oliver90owner]

Let's think a out this a moment or two. Is this one particular side? One particular point?

What are the bees valiantly defending? Are wasps entering the colony at all? Are wasps remaining in the colony?

Pertinent information is helpful. Counting precisely 6 wasps is not particularly helpful unless they are all head to head'' in a circle.

I think I know the simple answer, but on the information offered I am only guessing. I think the answer is simple - very simple. But I could be wrong, without the necessary simple information above.....

Think: probably only rubbish outcome updates stupidity.

There is the clue.

 

[maddydog]

Think: probably only rubbish outcome updates stupidity.

There is the clue.

Excellent! Beekeeping and acrostics - or is that acronym

 

[oliver90owner]

Hi MD,

Def acrostics, def not an acronym.

Do you reckon I am right? Simple and nothing much to do with being a wasp expert.

If correct, and I expect I am, nothing at all strange. I note the poster was on the forum this evening, but no response. One might wonder why.

My analysis of this 'strange' behaviour, from the sparse information supplied, took less than two seconds, so could be wrong but, somehow, the simple obvious reasons are usually found to be on the button.

Poster will likely come back, claiming it was a puzzle question and wanted to see if anyone else came up with the correct answer? Or maybe change the side? Who knows?

RAB

 

[Hawklord]

Cryptic or Craptic that is the question.