When will the wasps start to leave ???

Spanish Eyes

They drive me mad too when they get inside.

Yesterday I made a syrup of marmalade, sugar and water. Put it into three upturned screw top jar lids. Placed strategically on the patio on the ground. Came in from work tonight to find the wasps drunkenly gorging themselves. Nary a one in the house or buzzing around.

They love it, and will keep well away from you while gorging on this.

As we speak, 7.30pm, they are still at the stuff. But they'll be going to bed soon. Just put the containers well away from the area u use.

ferretone

aonb wrote: »

why do we hate wasps so much (come on the sting isnt THAT bad!!) - they make a HUGE contribution to the planet - they are fantastic at pest-control and some of them pollinate too.

I'm with you on this one, aonb And I was stung twice as a kid, didn't kill me, and was far from my worst childhood experience either. Last week I cleaned up all the wasp-infested, rotting windfall apples from my parents' yard for them, just stayed calm and gently moved along any that clambered aboard me, and didn't get stung even once.

I think people get way too hysterical about these poor beasties, and anyone who decides to have jam or sugary drinks or anything else sweet out in the open in late summer/autumn is just silly and should have more sense.

It isn't the cold that gets them, it's the depleted food source in their nest as it breaks up. That's what causes them to come out looking for food at this time of year: the larvae feed on meat/other insects etc, but the adult wasp can only feed on plant sugars. And then they starve to death over the coming few weeks, which is why they are coming after us for our sweet supplies of sugar. Just don't leave anything like that around, or carry it on your person, and they won't come after you but will just starve to death in peace as nature ordained for the poor misunderstood craiters. RIP

DBB

aonb wrote: »

why do we hate wasps so much (come on the sting isnt THAT bad!!) - they make a HUGE contribution to the planet - they are fantastic at pest-control and some of them pollinate too.

I must confess a certain fondnest for them too! I was stung a few times as a child, but worst of all, 12 years ago I hit a wasps' nest whilst strimming, not realising it until I looked down and realised I was COVERED in them. They went under my t-shirt, up my jeans, into my hair...:-o
I got away with 16 or so stings, I was sore everywhere, but I still bear no ill-will towards them, appreciating as I do their important ecological role. And let's face it, they were minding their own business until I came along with my dirty great strimmer of death!

Nody

aonb wrote: »

why do we hate wasps so much (come on the sting isnt THAT bad!!) - they make a HUGE contribution to the planet - they are fantastic at pest-control and some of them pollinate too.

Having stepped on one as a child walking barefoot I hold a life long grudge against them

goose06

When I was kid one flew up my pants and stung me on the arse 3 times, the fear has never left me. There has never been a creature that contains so much pure evil and spite!

tk123

I don't mind them as long as they're not in my space or house or car...sadly there seems to be tons around the garden and park so must be nests nearby but not in our place thank god!

borderlinemeath

I was stung once as a child and once again a couple of years ago.

But, the reason they drive me mad and I have such a dislike for them is that the dogs try and catch them. Benson has a particular affinity for getting any kind of flying insect, moth, bluebottle, daddy long legs, bee or wasp - and catching it and eating it. My worst nightmare would be this happening, him getting stung, and his throat swelling up.

We have lots of fruit trees and they are all over the rotten fruit but it's when they come into the house and bang against the windows is when they are easy prey for Benson.

Mysteriouschic

I've seen loads of wasps I see them near to the inside of the pavements crawling on the walls/fences. I hope the wasps go soon I hate them. Got stung ages ago when I was young by a massive bumble bee on the wrist they sting so much.

Teagwee

I have a pathological fear of wasps since being stung several times as a child - very painfully. I've been known to run like a wind-milling dervish, leaving babies, children, handbags and all sorts of valuables miles behind me. Normally, I never run anywhere, so it's not a pretty sight.

My worst and most embarrassing memory was when a wasp flew up under my dress in a bookshop, stinging me on my stomach. In my panic to get it out, I lifted my dress to my neck and began running around the shelves, screaming like a banshee. The owner had to steer me into a back room to calm me down. I NEVER went in there again ...

boomerang

I was the kind of person to tell everyone to stopping flapping and take a chill pill if there was a wasp about. "Just stay still and he'll bugger off. No biggie."

Until I was stung repeatedly by one on the side of my neck this time last year, while I was minding my own business. OMFG the pain!

titchy

aonb wrote: »

why do we hate wasps so much (come on the sting isnt THAT bad!!) - they make a HUGE contribution to the planet - they are fantastic at pest-control and some of them pollinate too.

A week after a wasp sting and the bloody Wasp just cost me the guts of 100€ in doctor and chemist bills for the young lad...and if the swelling doesn't go down in 24hrs its a trip to hospital and a drip for him...thats more than reason enough for me to hate them

Kukey

I read in the paper that the wasps have finished supplying the Queen now, so they are actually drunk as they have so much pollen and this is why they are attacking aggressively at random.:(
For anyone who says the sting is not painfull it is !!! My hand was throbbing for a few hours after I got stung,even after taking some pain killers.