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Talkback: Hibernating wasps

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Wildlife gardening
"We never see butterflies in the garden" says my mother, then when cleaning out the log store over Xmas she finds two hibernating peacock butterflies. So they were there, we replaced them as best we could, the covered log pile seems to desirable realestate for invertebrates so we will try to create one exclusively for them.
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    We have an apparently large wasps nest within a ventilator grille in the outside wall of our bungalow, very near to fruited pear trees. My husband and I are arguing as to whether we get rid of them. I don't want to as they are useful garden predators, but he is afraid they could be causing damage to the under-floorboard area where they seem to be living. They are zooming in and out of the ventilator grille hundreds of times a day.
    I was stung by one of them on the foot recently whilst cutting back a shrub, with my back to the nest. Obviously in the flight path of one irritated wasp!
    Any suggestions?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    kill them, the only good wasp is a dead one.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Do NOT kill hibernating queen wasps - they will provide the population next year which will control a large number of garden pests. The real enemy of wasps is human ignorance and the more you find out about these wonderful insects, the less likely you are to be interested in killing them.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Found a wasp in garden yesterday and i think it is a queen. Took pity on it and brought it in as thought i was dying and is now living in my back bedroom, it's wings are intact and buzzing but it cannot fly should i leave it there or put it outside again as i think i might have interupted its hibernative stage ?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Reply to Anonymous
    You could try letting it go into a shed or unheated outbuilding. It may then have a chance to settle back down again. Really, queen wasps should not be up and about until April.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    i have 4 hibernating wasps in my bedroom now as we had a wasp nest under the house this year. i have already removed one but take pity on the other 4. should i leave them until aprill when i see them flying round my bedroom and let them out the window or just throw them out now?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Reply to Stephen. It depends on what you want for them. If they are already hibernating, then throwing them out now will upset their metabolism and they will be unable to get back into the right state of torpor. But if you leave them where they are your central heating may rouse then unseasonably early in a month or two. You might try collecting them up and quickly releasing them into an unheated shed to settle down again.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    how to prevent maggots in plums
  • PestsurreyPestsurrey Posts: 3

    I would say to leave them. If they are moved or disturbed then this will kill them. <a title="wasp nest removal guildford" href="http://www.waspnestssurrey.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wasp nest removal</a> at the wrong time is not ideal so just best to let them be

  • Stewart SetterStewart Setter Posts: 3

    As much as I don't like wasps, they have their uses.  I recently purchased a new shed and found wasps clinging to the side.  Broke my heart to disturbe them. If you can live with them, leave them. 

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