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Wasps!!! Has anyone seen any this year.

(27 Posts)
jude2006 Thu 13-Aug-20 11:30:31

Hello Everyone, I am very allergic to wasps and so dread the summer months. With the excessive heat I thought that there would be a lot of wasps about, but fortunately so far, fingers crossed, I have not seen many. Has anybody been bothered with them this year?

Jabberwok Thu 13-Aug-20 11:34:17

Yes! They've been dreadful! I do put out wasp traps and catch dozens, but more keep coming. We must have a nest somewhere close, but where?!!!??

Calendargirl Thu 13-Aug-20 11:40:34

Several always round our compost bin, but they have not touched the Victoria plums yet! (fingers crossed)

Teetime Thu 13-Aug-20 11:50:02

We have seen a few in the garden is someone takes a drink or food out there so we dont do that now. 2 came in the conservatory but were shown the door pretty sharpish - we dont kill them I presume they are here for some environmental purpose.

MiniMoon Thu 13-Aug-20 11:50:22

Please don't kill wasps! They are valuable pollinators.

I've seen a few, but not as many as in previous years. Our large plum tree, that attracted the wasps, fell during the winter, so perhaps that's why.

tanith Thu 13-Aug-20 12:13:48

Always a few drinking around the edge of my birdbath even when I’m refilling it.

rockgran Thu 13-Aug-20 12:20:47

They usually appear in droves mid to late August. When he was small I could never have an outdoor birthday party for my son without wasp attacks.

aggie Thu 13-Aug-20 12:35:45

They were out in droves yesterday when we were having coffee outside the local cafe ! I tried to not wave my hand about too much as I have been told that makes them attack !

Baggs Thu 13-Aug-20 13:10:33

I was just wondering yesterday why I'd seen so few wasps this year. There is usually at least one attempt to make a wasp nest in our shed but there hasn't been one so far this year.

Wasps are useful insect-controlling predators as well as being annoying.

travelsafar Thu 13-Aug-20 13:11:15

We have had a couple in the kitchen but that is all.

lemongrove Thu 13-Aug-20 13:54:29

Not as many as in previous years, they are drawn to the rotting apples on the lawn so we try and pick up as often as possible.They also drink from all the water sources we leave for the birds.
Less flies about this year too, hurrah! Unfortunately not so many bees either.

ExD Thu 13-Aug-20 14:00:31

We haven't seen as many this year, but we've had a very poor crop of plums and apples. The ones I have seen seem quite quiet, just looking for water - hovering around the birdbath and such.
I'm assuming there hasn't been the usual amount of rotting fruit around for them to get drunk off. (Boozy devils!) That's when they are most likely to sting you.

TrendyNannie6 Thu 13-Aug-20 14:05:46

Yes I got stung three weeks ago, I can’t forget that, so painful

felice Thu 13-Aug-20 14:52:33

Plenty here on Sunday afternoon, but as my friend and I were in the garden drinking chilled White Port and eating Strawberry Tarts that could have been the reason !!!!????

jude2006 Thu 13-Aug-20 14:54:28

Some years are better than others, I shall live in hope of this being a good year, but still keep my Epipens handy. smile

MaizieD Thu 13-Aug-20 15:03:53

We have a wasp's nest in the engine of our horsebox, which has been out of action since the spring because of lockdown. Apart from the few flying in and out of the radiator grille I've seen hardly any wasps so far this year. (I'm afraid the pest control people are coming on Monday to deal with it. Had it been anywhere else I wouldn't have bothered)

I know that if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone, but it's very hard not to flap when they're flying around your sandwich grin

timetogo2016 Thu 13-Aug-20 15:06:50

A man i know had to have rentakill out as he had swarms of them in his dining room just this week.
Two of them were massive and called red wasps that usualy come from the USA is what he was told.
We have had loads too,but thankfully not in the house.

JackyB Thu 13-Aug-20 17:40:04

They have been awful here. Worst year ever. Fortunately none of the DGC have been stung but DH has a very painful sting on his thigh.

I am in Central Europe though, so not sure if this is relevant for your little survey.

Doodle Thu 13-Aug-20 17:43:23

baggs I think they’ve all come south for the summer. ? We have had loads. DH found 6 in our bathroom last nigh (I’m not sure he’s recovered yet. Had at least 10 in our lounge and five in the kitchen. I would be more than happy to direct them your way if you are missing them ?

mamaa Thu 13-Aug-20 23:08:51

Yep, loads.

NfkDumpling Fri 14-Aug-20 08:09:34

Yes, we have a nest somewhere, probably in the woodshed. They seem smaller this year and eager to share our outdoor lunches. I've only been stung once when I put my hand on one - couldn't blame it for that, as my parents were very strict on teaching me to be aware of bees and wasps and move slowly so as not to alarm them. My father's family were market gardeners so very aware of the value of bees and wasps. Horse flies, gnats and biting insects on the other hand are out to get you so are fair game!

BlueBelle Fri 14-Aug-20 08:24:20

No very few this year definitely a lot less than most years
They are not the pest everyone assumes they are hero’s in pollinating too

Washerwoman Fri 14-Aug-20 08:40:46

Yes plenty in our garden and earlier in the year DH removed a tiny nest from our summer house because the DGCs play in it .Otherwise we would have left it.They are as important as bees for pollination so they are her welcome here.Alongside our hive of honey bees ,the mason bees living in the stone wall.The leaf cutter bees and the red and buff tailed bumble bees that have used old bird boxes we have put in the hedges for them to find.We need to help them.as nice as our neighbours are a lot are astro turfing and flagging their gardens into wildlife oblivion.
The wasps come and scrape the wood for their nests off our table and chairs right by us and they are fascinating.We can actually hear their mandibles working.Sorry if that's the stuff of nightmares to some!If you sit calmly and ignore them they leave you alone,it's usually the flapping around that provokes a sting.But I do understand some people are frightened.

MellowYellow Fri 14-Aug-20 08:45:04

Two wasps come every morning and drink from my tiny patio pond and that's all I've seen so far. (Hundreds of hoverflies on my white mint though and I love them!)

fiorentina51 Fri 14-Aug-20 09:17:51

I'm one of wasp hating brigade. I wish I weren't but I have a phobia stemming back to my childhood when I was attacked by hundreds of them when their nest was disturbed. I wasn't the person who disturbed it, I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I'm seriously considering hypnotherapy in an attempt to overcome my fears. ?