ID help much appreciated ...

jezlee · #1 (**permalink**) 27-04-2008, 02:42 PM

Afternoon all ... can anyone help with these two I snapped in my garden today? Has the wasp got some sort of fungal infection? I refer to the greyish patches on its body ...

eucera · #2 (**permalink**) 27-04-2008, 02:48 PM

The wasp is a queen Vespula germanica.

jezlee · #3 (**permalink**) 27-04-2008, 03:09 PM

Thanks for the identification, Eucera – I have to ask the question (or how else will I ever learn?) – a) how do you know it's a queen, and b) just what are those silvery-grey markings?

eucera · #4 (**permalink**) 27-04-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jezlee

Thanks for the identification, Eucera – I have to ask the question (or how else will I ever learn?) – a) how do you know it's a queen, and b) just what are those silvery-grey markings?

Queen: size and time of year. I wouldn't expect to see workers for a while yet. I am sure this question has been addressed quite a few times albeit to other picture posters rather than you

Silvery marks: Not sure - don't really look fungal. If that was fungus the wasp would have been dead I think. Could be fine dust from a hole she had been investigating as a possible nest site or just possibly even a dusting of pollen from somewhere (rather unlikely I think)