Wasps

[Maydup]

Are there more wasps this summer, or is it just my apple tree that's swarming with them? Considering we had a harsh winter I would have thought the beast from the east would have kept the population low.

[naomi24]

I've not seen many at all this year.

[dannyk13]

Can't remember seeing any wasps.I had some bees nesting under the tiles but they have now left.

[murraymints]

I have them all ! wasps, bees,hornets,hover flies....flutterbies...

[Tilly2]

I haven't seen that many apart from at night when we have our dinner in the garden. Then they arrive.

I haven't been in the garden much during the last month. Far too hot.

[woofgang]

less than usual here and many less queen wasps. Loads of bees of all kinds though

[ladybirder]

Too hot for me in the garden as well but I did see one wasp last week. It was having a drink of water from the dish I had placed on the table for the birds.

[Chipchopper]

Up til now, I've seen fewer wasps this year but the ones I have seen are smaller and seem more aggressive and in your face.
Touch-wood, no stings yet

[Barmaid]

We have gone from one plague to another. First beetles, then ants, now wasps.

We bought two wasp traps which seem to be helping.

[Barmaid]

Well they should b***** off and get pollinating rather than irritating the hell out of us on the few occasions we are able to sit outside.

And tbh, I doubt our poxy wasp traps are making much of an indent into the wasp population round here. There are fruit trees everywhere and consequently, lots of piddled wasps.

[Purist]

I've seen a lot of wasps this year, I had to have a nest removed from the guttering about a month ago, they have not been particularly bothersome...yet, I expect that will start soon.

[douglas9401]

Localised chemical warfare deals with them around here.

[ladybirder]

Naughty naughty. Wasps are good for the environment.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/14/wasps-what-use-chris-packham

[douglas9401]

Indeed they are, if you down enough of them they make excellent fertiliser.

[ladybirder]

LOL. You are incorrigible Douglas!

[Maydup]

I have an apple tree in the garden and I have never seen it under attack like it is this year. I can hardly go near it for the wasps and will certainly have no hope of eating the apples. The wind falls are half eaten by them too and each one has half a dozen wasps on them at any one time.

I have no intention of doing anything about them, but I am interested to know if there's a reason for this unusually high population this year.

[AZardoz]

If you have a nest starting up in an inconvenient place, spray it lightly a few times a day. The wasps will think it's too rainy & move elsewhere.
No chemicals needed.

[Chipchopper]

You could try hanging a fake wasp nest, nearby.
The theory is, they see the area is already occupied, so they pack their bags and move on.
Plenty available online.