bees or wasps

[tooj]

I've just been cutting the top of my beech hedge when I was attackd by some type of winged creature but fortunately I was not stung. I have now found a nest, grey in colour about the size of a tennis ball hanging from one of the branches.

My question is: If they were wasps would I not have been stung badly.

If they were bees, would they have the same shaped nest as wasps hanging in a tree, and can I take it that as long as I don't touch the actual nest, they will not sting me? (It's just far enough away that I can't see them properlty (Bad eyes)

[jno]

as far as I know both bees and wasps will sting you if they feel like it. I'd cover up as much as possible, especially if you can't even see the wretched things properly.

[Duncer]

My mother always used to tell me, "Don't annoy it and it won't sting you", leaving me pretirfied to even change the channels on the telly in case the wasp was watching it.

[Clanad]

If it were here in the U.S, it'd deffinitely be a wasp nest, alternately called yellow jackets or hornets. They're pretty aggressive when agitated and your probably fortunate you weren't stung. I keep honey bees and have been stung several times... so much so that it's painless now (and no arthritis symptoms) but one sting by a wasp produces an entirely different result.

If it's available in the U.K, a product named Raid Wasp and Hornet Spray (seen here: http://www.scotts.com...ller-20120501&sissr=1 ) works very well. If you use it, spray the entire nest thoroughly at least twice.

Bees don't nest in trees... especially honey bees. There are some ground nesting bees...

[clasher]

As long as you don't bother them, they will leave you alone, but later on in the year, after they've vacated the nest, remove it from the hedge and admire the sheer beauty and skill it takes for these creatures to build one

[Duncer]

As long as you don't bother them......

What if you whistle a tune they hate? Or they don't like your jumper?

[erin-x]

We had a wasps nest last year. Dad put some lighter fluid on it and set it alight. It worked a treat lol!!

[Duncer]

Or to put a different spin on it.................


Celtic fan cruelly murders poor wasps.......

[erin-x]

Duncer!! Wasps are evil little buggers! They deserved it! Lol!

[Duncer]

Wasps - the skinheads of the insect world.

How are you?

[erin-x]

Haha!! I'm good... Just waiting patiently for the weekend to arrive, as always! :-) You?

[Duncer]

Enjoying a few glasses of red before returning to work for a five day stint of torture.

Off next week though. Will try and kill a few wasps for you.

[tooj]

Thanks people especially Clanad for the detailed explanation. I shall be able to get some foam spray which should do the trick.

[percypineapple]

wasp nest look like a chinese lantern, and i have seen one as big as a tennis ball being constructed by one very long wasp, and I also saw one in a loft as big as a football, beautifully made object, but had to be destroyed, they are one nasty little bug.

[ladybirder]

Wasps are good for the garden. Leave them alone poor things.

http://www.waspinator.../Wasp%20info.html#way

[jomifl]

I find it difficult to believe that so many adults haven't managed to overcome their primitive and irrational fear of insects. Grow up be nice to a wasp.

[RATTER15]

Almost certainly a wasp nest.

[Duncer]

"I find it difficult to believe that so many adults haven't managed to overcome their primitive and irrational fear of insects. Grow up be nice to a wasp".

I find nothing irrational about loathing a tiny little thing that can cause me pain.

Thanks to wasps my mother heard me curse for the very first time. We were in a local newsagent and there was a wasp on the rack in front of the counter where Mr Beattie kept the comics. I leant on the counter, not knowing the little black and yellow skinhead was there, and, quite naturally, he stung me. The word fcuk had left my lips before I could even think, bringing on a swift second stinging pain.

[jomifl]

As I said..

[Duncer]

Hardly an example to illustrate your "point", more an addendum to mine to try and amuse.

[RATTER15]

jomifl, Having been stung hundreds of times by wasps I can tell you they bloody well hurt, and many people have life threatening allergies, I only have a very mild allergy where as I itch for days. I can totally understand peoples fear of wasps. The cause a lot of serious problems for a lot of people, I know, ive seen the result of many wasp stings on many people.