Wasps and hornets

valerieroberts

On our boundary hedge we can see hornets attacking and carrying off wasps. they attack and try to bite their heads off to take them away. I can’t see where they go though so don’t know where the nest is. It happens every autumn, well we have noticed them for the last three years. What should we do about them, or is this just nature taking it’s course.Valerie

Fairygirl

We don't get hornets up here, but I believe there's a quite new, more invasive one. 
Perhaps one of the 'boys' who have great knowledge on insects of all kind, can advise.

@wild edges and @Alan Clark2 in Liverpool might see my tag, and be able to help.

Dovefromabove

How fascinating.   It is just nature ... just like bluetits eating aphids and newts eating frogspawn.   Hornets are an important part of the ecosystem and they have to eat too ... anyway, the wasps will be dying off about now anyway ... only the new queens survive the winter.  

valerieroberts

Thank you @Dovefromabove, it’s right in line with our conservatory view. Takes up at least an hour just before lunch when we need a sit and relax, that’s when the main attack comes. Valerie 

Dovefromabove

I'd love to watch that ... 'Autumnwatch from your conservatory' 

Fairygirl

It's always fascinating to watch insects at work @valerieroberts . I was just worried that you were concerned there could be problems with them. 

I love watching the wasps here. We were talking about them on a couple of recent threads. They get a bad press, because people often dismiss them in favour of bees, but they're wonderful insects to have in the garden IMO. 

Dave Humby

We've had both Hornets and Wasps nesting in the house this year so you can imagine it's really been 'kicking-off'! Both are in inaccessible places so cannot be treated so we are just having to wait for nature to run it's course. 

Fairygirl

Bit of fun for you then @Dave Humby  - are you having to reside in a coat cupboard?

valerieroberts

Thank you for your comments @Fairygirl.  No I’m not worried I just needed to know if there was any concerns about having hornets nearby, as a few years ago there seemed to be a problem with hornets and the bee keepers concerns. So I wanted to know if there was a duty to report. I love wasps, but more so hoverflies as they will hover in front of my face and land on a finger, so calming for me. Valerie 

valerieroberts

@Dave Humby hi Dave, does it matter if they are high enough away from you that they are there. With a bit of luck they will live there happily, coming and going, and hopefully not being frightened into stinging. I’m hoping the wasps will do a job of pollinating the blossom this next year as we don’t have a lot of honey bees around here. 

Dave Humby

Hi @valerieroberts fortunately they don’t give us too much grief although the wasps nest is now leaching a nice patch on our newly painted ceiling. They live in the roofspace somewhere but we have an old house with many extensions and there are lots of areas you just can’t access. The wasps and hornets that get into the living space of the house eventually die if we can’t let them out. The rescue dog also likes to chase them which we obviously try and discourage. 

All in all we live in relative harmony with them. I might not be saying that if I get stung! Not seen so much of the hornets recently and the wasps will die off over winter.