Wasps

[meriad]

they really seem to have gone from hardly any to OMG they are everywhere

A friend and I were talking the other day that there seemed to be loads less wasps around this year, however yesterday and today they certainly seem to be out in force. I put out left over cat food / meat for them in a far corner of the garden that they munch on all day, which in turn (for the most part) keeps them away from the house; so we tend to live alongside each other quite OK. I know that most people really don't like them, but I find them absolutely fascinating to watch and think it's lovely to see so many of them around.

What about you, do you consider them friend or foe?

[cromwell]

I got stung by one when I was six; I've loathed them ever since!

[Workingman]

I am another who quite likes wasps, as well as bees, hoverflies and spiders.

There have not been many of anything about this year, especially butterflies and ladybirds. The cold and rain are probably to blame.

[victor]

Haven't got a problem with bees ,in fact we have had a nest under some decking this year,bumble bees we were assured.
If they had been honey bees a beekeeper would have come and collected them but bumble bees no interest ,all the guy said was ignore them and they will ignore you and they will go in their own time, disappeared a couple weeks ago.
Wasps ?evil little ********.
,had a couple annoying me today.

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[Kaz]

I'm with you, Vic! Love bees, loathe wasps

[TheOstrich]

I got stung by one when I was six; I've loathed them ever since!

When I was a teenager, looking to retreive a tennis ball from a bush, I accidently disturbed a wasps' nest.
I then broke every existing record for the 100 yards dash .....
I was only stung the once, on the palm of my hand.

So I'm with you, I also loathe them. I cannot be in the same room as one - it's him or me.

Yes, Meriad, there are loads around here at the moment as well, and particularly pesky if you're eating out. There's been plenty of butterflies, and we've definitely seen more holly / common blues in the garden than in previous years, but not so many of the "aristocrats". And there's been plenty of bumblebees, too; we have a catnip plant (Nepetia) which has flowered throughout the summer and has attracted them in droves. In contrast, I don't think I've seen a single ladybird this year.

[miasmum]

You've been stung once? I have been stung more times than I can count. Mainly because we have an old apple tree and I try to pick up as many apples as I can every evening. At some point every year I get stung. Flipping things, I really dont like them. Pointless creatures.

Bees I love, basically everything I love apart from wasps, foxes and maggots I could willingly eradicate all three from the planet

[Workingman]

Wasps are pollinators, kill them and we kill ourselves. We really do need them.

Foxes are predators and scavengers. They keep the natural world clean of rotting flesh and also control rats and mice.

Maggots have been used for centuries in medicine, especially to keep wounds clean and help them heal, as have leeches. Still used today.

Be careful what you want to eradicate.

[JanB]

We seem to have a load of wasps this year, far more than normal. And ants All sizes

We got rid of one small nest of wasps, as that was under the back terrace and we couldn't walk past it, without being pestered by them. But they make nests in the outside light shades, which are far enough away not to bother us.

I have water bowls fron and back of the house and I can't walk past one of them without seeing at least one wasp having a drink.

Not seen any ladybirds this year, butterflies seem scare, as do crickets, hornets.

But those ants If Molly leaves just s teeny bit of biscuit, they're out in a nano second

[miasmum]

Ok you keep your maggots because yes I agree, the other two no. sorry.