Where are the wasps?

[Newbeeneil]

I’ve now had two queenless hive robbed out by wasps so they are around in numbers.
I have also seem several queens, I felt a tickle on the back of my neck and assumed it was a bee so plucked it of only to find it was a queen wasp! I dropped it very fast as I don’t relish wasp stings.

 

[Nannysbees]

Quite a few at our apiary this week!!

 

[ericbeaumont]

You'll like this, Neil.

Had a bad photo from the current owner of your Mum's old place in Farncombe. A bee's nest, she said, and would I like it? Helen was pruning the camellia (yes, wrong time of year) in the back garden and found this:


,
That day I was 50 the miles away lugging borage in Epping, but by evening we reckoned it wasn't AH because the nest was too grey. Then Helen sent a whole load of other (not v good) photos, and this one looked interesting:



To save a journey, Stewart the SBI went round and identified wasp. As is the way, the pestie will have been round by now, so bang goes queens for next year.

 

[Spikedog]

Ahh the wasps are back. Following me about the apery like loyal dogs and slipping over shoulder to frames.. oddly scraping wood from shed.. would have thought nest building complete for season. Despite their nuisance value I'm sorta pleased to see them as neigh on zero sightings over the season.

 

[JamezF]

Ahh the wasps are back. Following me about the apery like loyal dogs and slipping over shoulder to frames.. oddly scraping wood from shed.. would have thought nest building complete for season. Despite their nuisance value I'm sorta pleased to see them as neigh on zero sightings over the season.

I've seen one or two recently that were clearly collecting wood pulp. It does seem quite odd at this time of year.

James

 

[Sutty]

Edit - already answered!

 

[Erichalfbee]

How do you despatch once caught? Or is it a lethal trap?

Empty the squirrel into a sac a single quick whack to the head

 

[Nannysbees]

Out in force in Tenby

 

[Cat grr]

Wasps making an unwelcome home in my beekeeping shed munching through last years brood frames. They have been entering the keyhole so I've tried blocking the inside up. Ideas how to get rid please ?

 

[Sutty]

Wasps making an unwelcome home in my beekeeping shed munching through last years brood frames. They have been entering the keyhole so I've tried blocking the inside up. Ideas how to get rid please ?

Leave the keyhole open, move and seal up the brood frames and leave a wasp trap where the frames were.

 

[Cat grr]

Thanks Sutty

 

[Garry R]

Wasps beginning to appear at my apiary but have put my wasp guards on . They seem a bit confused already while the bees have the whole thing sussed in about 20 minutes. Entrances on nucs cut down while I make more guards. A trip to the DIY shop to get some more trunking in the morning.

 

[Karol]

Interesting about the good year then bad year theory.

Hmmm!

There are four principal factors influencing was populations when it comes to vespine wasps in temperate climates. Mild winters wreak havoc on wasp populations. Persistent wet inclement Springs and early Summers delay wasp nest building and if the delay results in failed mating events this will also wreak havoc on wasp populations. However, if the mating events are simply delayed and there's a cold winter, the following year can result in an absolute plague. Dry hot summers precipitate early nest maturation which results in a decline in wasp populations in the following year. Warm wet summers result in large nests, delayed mating events and if matched with cold winters are the strongest drivers for subsequent wasp plagues. The size of wasp populations is not 'measured' by the amount of wasps appearing at a hive as this is governed by what stage wasps are in their life cycle, not just by their numbers. Wood pulping is a major clue to this.

 

[Antipodes]

Hmmm!

There are four principal factors influencing was populations when it comes to vespine wasps in temperate climates. Mild winters wreak havoc on wasp populations. Persistent wet inclement Springs and early Summers delay wasp nest building and if the delay results in failed mating events this will also wreak havoc on wasp populations. However, if the mating events are simply delayed and there's a cold winter, the following year can result in an absolute plague. Dry hot summers precipitate early nest maturation which results in a decline in wasp populations in the following year. Warm wet summers result in large nests, delayed mating events and if matched with cold winters are the strongest drivers for subsequent wasp plagues. The size of wasp populations is not 'measured' by the amount of wasps appearing at a hive as this is governed by what stage wasps are in their life cycle, not just by their numbers. Wood pulping is a major clue to this.

We have the record here for the largest subterranean wasp nest in the world.

 

[Newbeeneil]

To save a journey, Stewart the SBI went round and identified wasp. As is the way, the pestie will have been round by now, so bang goes queens for next year.
[/QUOTE]

Stewart is a good guy, he always inspects my colonies even though 90% of them are out of his area. I think he likes 2 days of mindless banter!

 

[Amari]

No wasps in either of my apiaries nor in our garden 400m distant. One V. crabro hawking around a hive entrance today, captured a bee on the wing and proceeded to dismember it in the grass below.

 

[Rory Fields]

Aaaaaand we're off! First wave appeared in my home apiary yesterday, should fet short shrift as I've kept entrances small this year. Not seen a hornet in nigh on 20yrs, and unusually this year, no hummingbird hawk-moth

 

[Paulypaul]

Very few wasps in the outapiary this year, but plenty of European hornets. They're amazing looking animals and butcher a bee on a heart beat.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Another couple of weak colonies being attacked by wasps. Closed the entrances down to help.

 

[alancooper]

Hardly a wasp all Summer but a week ago they began to appear in numbers. Our mild very early spring this year brought out large numbers of hibernating Queens. This was followed by cold north winds and rain for a few weeks.
Many early Qs could have perished. What we may be seeing are worker wasps from later Summer Qs. From a non-entomologist does this seem a reasonable explanation?