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Wasps

Sue HighamSue Higham Posts: 83
in The potting shed
Potting shed seemed to be the best category for my query ... sort of plant related and not a pest I see as a problem, but my box hedging is absolutely alive with wasps.  They are all quite small, but I don't think it's a nest as they aren't entering and exiting from a particular spot.  They didn't seem to mind my working close by, either ... has anyone else encountered this phenomenon?

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 3,215
    Is there a ready supply of aphids on the Box perhaps?
    I encountered an underground wasps' nest last week, when I mowed the overgrown edge of a border. I got a couple of stings, but it could have been much worse if I had settled down with my mat and trowel to do some weeding, so I regard it as a lucky escape!
    They have had a good summer, there are two nests in the (empty) chicken house. and the bit of border where they nested would usually be much wetter.
    If you don't know where your nest is though, it would pay to keep a lookout!
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 35,520
    We had huge numbers of them yesterday on the Boston Ivy on the building at work. I assumed the same as B'cupdays. There was possibly a food source there, and greenfly came to my mind.
    I expect there could have been a nest in the roof somewhere, but they weren't making the kind of movement that they would have been  making if they were entering and exiting a next. They were spread out and targeting the foliage over quite a big area. They were nowhere to be seen today though. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Central southern Scotland Posts: 3,845
    We have never known a year like it.  We had huge numbers in early spring then they disappeared and we had no issue duringing the heatwave. Now they are so bad we can’t keep windows or doors open. They have completely denuded blueberry bushes. I
    had to be really careful picking fruit this afternoon.
    We are a rural area and everyone is saying the same, family up in the city say they have less than usual!
    any theories I would be interested to hear
    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 10,089
    I think they're attracted to scale insects, too, so worth checking for those as well as aphids.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 35,520
    Lily Pilly said:

    We are a rural area and everyone is saying the same, family up in the city say they have less than usual


    The townie wasps LP - they all fancied a trip to the country   ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Sue HighamSue Higham Posts: 83
    Thanks for all your replies! I think it must be down to some kind of food source in the hedge - hopefully aphids (although I can't see any), but there are more ladybirds about than usual, too ... and the hedge is healthy, which hopefully would rule out scale insects.  The hedge is 15 years old and forms a knot garden and I've been stepping in and out of the beds, surrounded by wasps which seemed to be unaware of me - presumably hell bent on feeding! I've never seen this kind of activity before - is it just down to this incredible summer??  :)
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