Wasps

I missed the news last year that they'd destroyed a fully-built nest of 'Asian hornets' in Gloucestershire:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/04/asian-hornet-outbreak-contained-says-defra

However, if they really imagine that this will have 'eradicated' the 'outbreak', I'm certain they have another think coming. I don't believe nests like this occur in isolation, as it's vanishingly unlikely that only a single queen was on these shores.

I "think" you mean "thing". Just being a pendant.

I didn't, no:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/nov/18/mind-your-language-another-think

I acknowledge that there is a think/thing debate but I have always used thing and believe it implies potential consequences. It always did when I was a child.
Anyway I hadn't seen this summer's wasps until three found their way into my office (portacabin) this morning.

Both expressions are perfectly fine and which one you use depends on what you mean, as they are the results of different thinks. :)

#uvebinschicked

Asian hornet is one big mega nope :/

I spotted a couple of these today, went home and looked them up to find that they are gasteruption jaculator, which has to be the best scientific name ever

Typical Guardian. They really will stand up for anyone.

When we were young and spent our summer hols in a caravan in the wilds of Essex.. our dad used an old jam or honey jar with some remnant left in.. poked a small hole (big enough for a wasp) in the lid from the top with screwdriver, quarter filled the jar with water, screwed on the lid.. and put this on the kitchen shelf.. the wasp searching for sugar went to investigate. Climbed in, but could not climb out.. exhausted it fell into a sugary pool of death, by the end of the week we had to empty the jar with a dozen dead wasps and start over.

A Mediterranean trick I have seen when eating outside. Is to put a whole lemon in a glass and fill with water. When the sun is out the glass of water (needs direct sunlight on the glass to work) apparently freaks out the wasps and they stay away.

Some ideas I’ve seen

• hang cds around the garden
  
• hang up a fake wasp nest..
  
• spray peppermint oil around the garden table
  
  

Killing wasps is no deterrent, they are great predators though, controlling common pests in the garden. They don’t freak me out and I have never been stung, probably because I never get into a flap when they are about..

hang up a fake wasp nest

lol

yep :-)

1 Attachment

Wow! This is awesome!
Inclined to put one of these up even though I don't have a wasp problem, just for shits and giggles!

Look for waspinator, fill with old plastic bags and hang where you don’t want wasps.

Tip is to hang them now to prevent a queen settling nearby so you don’t have wasps next year. If you already have wasps it’s too late for this year.

Queen wasps coming out of hibernation already. Having just dealt with one I am super twitchy thinking I keep seeing them out of the corner of my eye. Little fuckers give me anaphylactic shock, so “it’s only a wasp, it won’t kill you” doesn’t ring true for me.

Wuss

Wasp

fixed

Did you try those fake nests mentioned above?

We have one of the fake nests down by my wife’s office - she has a log cabin in the woods. She had four queen wasps in there a couple of days ago.

The fake nests appear to deter foraging wasps but when it comes to hibernation queens seem not to give a fuck.

Sometimes my partner is delayed on her 500m commute back home because of hornets en route. Thankfully the hornets round here are super docile.

Last year I had the shit scared out of me by a horntail which actually turns out to be no threat at all.

How the fuck was I meant to know something with an apparent stinger that was so huge was benign?

2 Attachments

had four queen wasps in there

mkay

You do realise that a warmer winter means fewer wasps, don't you?

It's very bad for a queen's survival chances if it emerges early (the same goes for other hibernating insects).

Also, wasp queens are very conflict-averse, for obvious reasons.

I'm obviously aware that the fear of anaphylactic shock probably overrides all of that, but perhaps these are slightly comforting thoughts. :)

I've never seen a horntail, much to my regret.

The concept 'benign' is obviously a multi-sided concept here. Wasps are highly benign/beneficial members of ecosystems and do a hell of a lot of useful work. While completely understandable with your condition, it's always worth checking oneself a little when conceiving of what's good about insects/spiders/creepy-crawlies etc. as relative to oneself.

Yep, am also aware wasps are useful, but just terrifying to me!

Am saddened I killed the first horntail, but relieved I saw more of them last summer.