Aggressive Wasp

[Shhhkiki]

[quote=faz;831777]very interesting did it come back to its kill?

When the wasp had eaten for a gruelling minute or so, it flew off into the yonder, no doubt in search of more mischief!

This being a Brixton garden, I can't help wondering whether this wasp was inspired by the recent displays of civil unrest (!!). That butterfly was mugged quite blatantly... and caught on CCTV (well, my camera).

[Shhhkiki]

...it is when the nest is fully developed and the last bunch of Queens are pupae that the worker wasps go on holiday and "Party all day long" eating fermenting fruit, getting into jam-pots and all the things that we hate wasps for in general. They have nothing to do but get into trouble.
I suggest that these obs of wasps catching Red Admirals is an extension of this mischief.
.................................................. .....
I teach South London teenagers - this all sounds very familiar!

[John_M]

A couple of weeks ago I was with my son watching an impressively large Araneus diadematus female, when a wasp (don't know the exact species but fairly certain it was Vespula) flew down right in front of us and killed a female bush cricket. It appeared to spend some time trying to remove the crickets head, then gave up and disappeared under the cricket, where it proceeded to remove all but one leg. It then chewed a chunk out of the crickets abdomen and flew off towards a nearby roof.
I always thought adult wasps ate only nectar, fermenting fruit and strawberry jam, so I assumed the cricket was destined to feed grubs, even though it seems a bit late.

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by John_M

A couple of weeks ago I was with my son watching an impressively large Araneus diadematus female, when a wasp (don't know the exact species but fairly certain it was Vespula) flew down right in front of us and killed a female bush cricket. It appeared to spend some time trying to remove the crickets head, then gave up and disappeared under the cricket, where it proceeded to remove all but one leg. It then chewed a chunk out of the crickets abdomen and flew off towards a nearby roof.
I always thought adult wasps ate only nectar, fermenting fruit and strawberry jam, so I assumed the cricket was destined to feed grubs, even though it seems a bit late.

You are probably quite right in your assumption. There are wasps working in the nests until the first frosts kill them. The main Bunch or fertile queens and males leave well before that but it seems that there often a few late ones. This means that most workers are redundant.
Fertilized queens hibernate in dry places hanging on with their jaws. It is not unusual to find them in outhouses etc. They start the nest all by themselves in the spring and get no help until their first batch of offspring emerge as adults.
Dave
Dave

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

I have seen a Mellinus arvensis female eating a fly, usually they take them to the nest. I don't know what their normal diet is but I haven't seen them feeding on flowers. This isn't the same sort of wasp of course but there is a possibilty Vespula species occasionally eat insects, maybe Stuart or Matt could tell us more.

You could try doing your own research. It is more rewarding and you develope a skill for life.
Dave

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

You could try doing your own research. It is more rewarding and you develope a skill for life.
Dave

I have tried to research this Dave, with no success! There's plenty about their larvae. I'm forever researching..