Queen wasp/ Hornet .. this early?

[balesleftboot]

Hello,

With me not being very clued up as far as insects are concerned i really need help here.

In my bedroom earlier this evening. i was in the company of a very large wasp. With me thinking surely this is too early for wasps i came online and read up about it. From what i've read it seems to be that it probably is a queen wasp, out of hibernation looking for somewhere to plant it's nest. Now i'm not one for killing anything but obviously i don't want some nest being built in my bedroom. Reading online it appears that they usually appear in about mid april to start nesting, but i guess as this has been an unusually hot year so far, the queen could be starting early?

It's hard for me to tell where it's coming from as when i turn on the lights it buzzes straight to the lights, but then when i turn them off it just seems to dissapear somewhere.

It is quite long in size, when i described the size to my Dad he seemed to reckon it might be a Hornet.

Like i say, i really don't want to kill anything but obviously don't want nests appearing in my room.

[aeshna5]

You're right about it being a queen which is the only caste that overwinters. With the recent warm, sunny days she will have emerged from her hibernaculum + somehow entered your room. If you put the light on when it's darker outside she will fly to the light. If you turn out the light + then open a window when it's lighter ouside, she should fly out the window.

A couple of times in an old work-office I had wasps nests in my roof from which some entered the room + by manipulating lights/window always got them to leave.

Hornets are a chestnut-brown + yellow, while the other social wasps, Vespula/Dolichovespula are yellow + black. Hornets are also correspondingly larger.

Hope she gets out ok!

[Wild-Woman]

It's good to hear of someone actually making the effort to evict a wasp instead of killing it.

[Dogghound]

Yes i think aeshna sums in up well. I would advise you release it from the window, its very unlikely its going to start building a nest in your room its probrably been hibernating in your home and wants to get out. If you could get a photo we could tell you the species.

[balesleftboot]

Thanks for your replies ...

I had my window open last night but it didn't want to fly out, obviously knew where it was better off as it was so cold. I left my window open all day though so hopefully it may have flown out.

However i have this loft conversion hidden behind a wardrobe so i wouldn't be suprised if she was still hiding in there. Come to think about it i remember seeing a wasp in my room late last year, and thinking it was odd. No doubt it was she finding a place to hibernate for the winter.

Unfortunatley i live in a house full of people with the 'just kill it attitude', but i just couldn't do that. I'm glad you say she won't be thinking about building a nest yet though, that's put my mind at rest.

If she comes out later i shall get a picture.

Is it true that Wasps don't attack you unprovoked? i thought that was just Bees ....

[Lance Morgan]

Pretty certain you have a queen wasp woken up because the warmer temperatures and is looking for somewhere to start her new colony. Wasps generally will not sting you unless they are provoked or their nest is under attack. Most people are stung accidentally by e.g. by putting their hand or bare foot on one or trying to ward them off by 'shooing' etc .

[balesleftboot]

Huge scream just came from downstairs 'arrrghhhh a wasp' came the cry from my sister. My Dad rushed to the scene and chucked it out before i could see it. I'm assuming it's the same one that has been in my room though.

Do they survive outside in this coldness?

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by balesleftboot

Huge scream just came from downstairs 'arrrghhhh a wasp' came the cry from my sister. My Dad rushed to the scene and chucked it out before i could see it. I'm assuming it's the same one that has been in my room though.

Do they survive outside in this coldness?

if she can get to a frost free place she should be able to go back to sleep until its warmer - provided she hasn't used up too much energy. I think also wapss are quite bright for an insect and prefer to build nests somewhere dark with easy access to the outside - I doubt she'd pick your bedroom (though might use the attic void)