Wasps and Bees

leila1

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Unfortunately as the bees nest was too close to the wasps they had killed most of them this morning so the local bee keeper could not help, except by spraying the wasps. Had it been down the bottom of the garden I'd have ignored it but 2 ft from the back door was just too close with hundreds buzzing in and out. Lots had found their way into the kitchen and lounge.

May be they're the ones responsible for the decline!

jules1964

leila1 wrote: »

May be they're the ones responsible for the decline!

Just another example of what a waste of space they are.

Lotus-eater

leila1 wrote: »

May be they're the ones responsible for the decline!

Yep, all the worlds scientists must be wrong then seeing as, they seem to be putting it down to a cocktail of chemicals sprayed on crops.

leila1

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Yep, all the worlds scientists must be wrong then seeing as, they seem to be putting it down to a cocktail of chemicals sprayed on crops.

I suppose it all adds up. I was more in favour of the mobile phone theory, or the supermite theory, but in the ends it all adds up. Einstein predicted they if they are wiped out we'll have 4 years to live!_pale_
Anyway, I have done my bit and planted an extra lavender.

Lotus-eater

leila1 wrote: »

I suppose it all adds up. I was more in favour of the mobile phone theory, or the supermite theory, but in the ends it all adds up. Einstein predicted they if they are wiped out we'll have 4 years to live!_pale_
Anyway, I have done my bit and planted an extra lavender.

All the theory's add up, mites, disease, herbicides, pesticides, people swatting them around the table, probably others we don't know about yet. But I think we can safely rule out wasps
Although obviously some would prefer them to be the bringers of doom for everything.

ANY_CHANCE

I have no problem whatsoever with bees, when i am doing my gardening or eating they just go about their buisness and dont bother at all and i love watching them.

Whereas wasps i hate, does anyone know what the point of them is?
They always have to come into the house, they pester you if you are eating or drinking outside, and if your gardening they get cross because your near their flowers.....they are a nuisance;)

alice

I'm a beekeeper and agree that there a lot of wasps around this year. They are not usually a problem the rest of the year - in fact, in Spring they are quite helpful in eating aphids in the garden - but coming up to autumn they turn quite nasty. The bees, too, are defensive as they are protecting the stores of honey they have in the hive to see them through the winter as there are no really nectar-rich plants in flower any longer. Wasps can sniff out the honey and try to enter the hives to rob it - sounds fine as there are several thousand bees and comparatively few wasps.....however, each bee can only sting once whereas the wasps can sting and sting and sting........... and although the bees will defend the hive strongly they get demoralised (really!!) if they are attacked and their numbers get too low.
So...at this time of year I have no hesitation in squashing wasps whereas I wouldn't ordinarily kill anything. I do have umpteen wasp traps in the garden so that at least then they die gorged on last year's raspberry jam!!!

p.s. might change my username to 'bee bore'!!

Infidel

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if wasps actually serve any ecological purpose and if they were wiped out would this have any negative impact on the eco-system.



I'm also bored....................

alice

Hmmmmmm - no doubt there will be someone who finds a useful purpose they serve.........can't think of one, though!!

Boredom relief suggestion...get some bees!!!!!!

ANY_CHANCE

We had a huge amount of aphids early this year i wonder if that had a knock on effect on the numbers of wasps this year? if they eat aphids. Then that would have a knock on effect on the number of bees?