Can anyone identify this wasp for me?

[applemint]

Hello insect forum,

Hopefully I've managed to paste a picture into 'My image library' of a wasp.



It was found inside an upstairs flat about two weeks ago in Central Scotland. It has since been released into the 'wild' (downstairs and outside) but not before I'd taken some pictures of it. I'd like to know precisely what it is. A common wasp? What sex? Can anyone tell how old it might be? Habits and food? What was it up to indoors in March?

Any insights welcome.

Applemint.

[eucera]

A queen Vespula vulgaris.

The only things around at the moment are post-hibernation mated queens. Age is largely irrelevant but it is somewhere around 6 months old... and if it has a successful season, it could live until October (10% chance at best)

It was almost certainly hibernating in your house and has come out of hibernation with the first warmth of the year.

[applemint]

Thanks eucera,

So they mate and go into hibernation around October? It isn't so warm now - what would she do next having been left unceremoniously in the back green? Does she immediately start making a nest? How much would she look about before deciding on a place to nest? 10% chance of survival not great odds - why so low? Having mated how many offspring could she be harbouring?

curiously,

applemint.

[Dogghound]

Yes the female leaves the nest then breeds around autumn then finds a place to hibernate until the following spring. The nest stage will be looking for a suitable nest site, she will start to build a nest then start to lay eggs and rear these worker's which are sterile females these will continue to build the nest while the female stays in it a lays more and more eggs. They are fairly selective in where they build nest's but wont look around for months just depends on suitability of nest sites, V.vulgaris favours buildings, lofts, sheds etc, although occasionally in hollow trees. Wasps have many predators and alsothe risk of hard frosts will kill them so numbers are high as there is high mortality. She will continue to lay eggs until late summer autumn.

[eucera]

Vespula vulgaris will also very commonly nest in holes in the ground (as will V. germanica, V. rufa, and sometimes Dolichovespula sylvestris). Hornets are also known to ground nest but this is a very unusual phenomenon, and the hornets then end to relocate the nest to a more suitable, above ground cavity.

The low success rate of nests is also due to failure of the queen to rear young once she has founded the nest. Wet and cold Springs are catastrophic for wasps as there are few insects for the queen to catch and feed to her developing offspring. I suspect predation is a far less significant problem than the lack of available food at the critical "queen-nest" time of year.

For a nest to be regarded as successful a new generation of sexuals will need to be produced next autumn

[applemint]

Hmmn. Interesting. Wonder if she'll 'succeed'? She may be off to a rocky start with snow forecast this weekend... What an infinitely intricate and brutal world this is.

Thanks for all the information. Glad I asked.

Applemint.