wasps or bees nest??

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wasps or bees nest??

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moongoddess

Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 673

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 5:53 pm Post subject: wasps or bees nest??
Is there an easy way to differentiate them? I've just seen 'something' hanging from my garage roof (inside) it's about the size of a ping pong ball. I didn't see it at first, it was a 'woodpecker' noise that first alerted me to it. how do I tell what is it and if it is a wasps nest, is it best to get rid of it? if so, how?? mg x

Rowanlady

Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 195
Location: NE Hampshire

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 6:01 pm Post subject:

Wasps make hanging nests - as you described

Bees tend to make nests 'inside' something - a hive (as supplied by humans) or a rotten tree trunk, a hole in the ground, a crack in the rocks - totally different

I guess a wasp's nest

Your 'woodpecker noise' could have been the queen wasp rasping wood from - roof beams, other timber - to chew and make paper for extending her nest - it is fascinating to watch the construction grow

Provided you are safe and it is not later in the year - wasp workers can be VERY bad tempered - personally I blame it on the fruit juice (fermented)

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46192
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 6:04 pm Post subject:
2 in a few days . ace critters . take care .

Rowanlady

Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 195
Location: NE Hampshire

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 6:09 pm Post subject:
As for dealing with the said nest It was talked about here - and resolved wasp's nest

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 7:37 pm Post subject:
Wasp, almost certainly. Bees do sometimes make hanging nests, but usually right after swarming and the fact that the bees will be on the outside busily making comb is a bit of a giveaway

moongoddess

Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 673

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 7:44 pm Post subject:

Hmmm, so educate me if you will.
I've got to a space of loving my weeds - i used to curse and tear my hair out over horsetail but since finding out its properties and saving myself from losing a crop of potatoes to blight by spraying it with horsetail infusion, I know see it in a different light.......'tis my friend.

I'm afraid i see wasps as bad tempered insects that sting for the sheer fun of it.
What are there uses in my garden / home?

btw, dh just got a long pole and knocked the nest off the roof

I'm like, 'yeah great, now she'll go and build another nest and we might not find it until it is too big to deal with.'
Men and their fierce protector energies

Thanks for all the replies; I've now learnt the difference between wasp and bee nests. I LOVE this forum

mg x

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 7:58 pm Post subject:

Wasps, for most of their lives, eat largely protein so that includes all the little insects that you might not necessarily want on your crops (however, they are omnivores so arent that picky and will go for the easiest meal often!) Whilst they are feeding brood, the larvae give them a sweet substance, but when the season closes down, this dries up and its the wasps going 'cold turkey' after their on tap sugar fix which causes them to be such a nuisance round sweet foods

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 7:59 pm Post subject:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/427.shtml for a quick overview of the wasp lifecycle

Rowanlady

Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 195
Location: NE Hampshire

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 06 8:00 pm Post subject:

They do have a good use -

" In spring and early summer, the workers go out to sting caterpillars, flies and other insects which they bring back to the nest as food for the developing larvae. The larvae in turn produce a sweet saliva which the adults drink.

All wasps fed their young on meat - insect larvae, scraps of carrion and so on - and in this respect differ greatly from bees which feed their young on nectar and pollen. The wings of the prey are cut off by the workers powerful mouthparts and the remains are divided up and chewed into round food balls which are carried home to the larvae. "

So they get rid of a lot of caterpillars. etc - they are only really a nuisance when it gets toward the autumn when the worker wasps turn to fruit for their food

That's when wasps and humans clash - between the birds and wasps a lot of apples, etc get damaged - such is nature

Glad the nest came down okay - with no repercusions

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