Wasp nest at allotment

*manda*

We appear to have a wasp nest in one of our beds at the allotment. We haven't quite found it, but noticed lots in one area and on further investigation OH got stung ( yes I know, but he probably won't learn).

2plots along from us have bee hives.

What can we do to eradicate the wasps without risking his bees?

Biggles

Are they causing a problem? Ignoring them usually works best, they won't be back next year.

Davesnave

It may not be necessary to do anything except avoid the small area where the nest is if it's underground and made by one of the burrowing species.

We had these in the lawn and by the front door at a house we rented. They did their best to ignore us, as it's not in a wasp's interest to attract attention. I'm not saying they liked having the hover mower driven over their home, but they only buzzed about a bit in a 1metre area around the entrance. We were never stung.

There are different species, some more aggressive than others. All of them get confused and drunk on rotting fruit in autumn, when they can be a problem, but by then, whether you have a nest or not is largely irrelevant, unless it's right next to your home.

Wasps kill pests too, so they can be beneficial.

Linda32

I do not think you have to do anything. We have got a nest under our eaves at home. They do not bother us.

wellused

I noticed a wasp nest in the ground next to my plot last year and like you I was concerned but after reading that they actually eat cabbage white caterpillars I decided to leave them alone. They didn't do any harm and I checked to see if they had returned this year and maybe were living in my plot but there hasn't been any sign of them.

*manda*

Ok thanks maybe we'll leave it for now. It's just in quite a central place by our main path up and down the plot. Was worried about irritating them with walking over their nest all the time?

wellused

Yes I would avoid walking on the nest or disturbing it in any way, I was concerned that the wasps would get dangerous towards the end of the season around September October time but they were very well behaved. This time of year I observed them coming and going from the nest but they didn't seem interested in harassing anyone.