Underground wasps nest

[nealeholl]

I normally associate wasps with having paper nests in trees or sheds. Have just "dealt with" one in the lawn - they were coming and going through a two-inch hole in the lawn. Would this be a particular type of wasp, or will any go underground sometimes?

[Beekeeper]

Yes they do go underground but usually would prefer a dirt bank, i think they may occupy unused tunnels of other species, perhaps mouse or rat, i have never seen wasps actually digging a nest in the ground, but i did have the unfortunate experience of treading in one when i was pulling a rotary mower backwards over some very rough ground, the little darlings gave me a good hiding.

BK

[eucera]

Certainly not all of our social wasps will nest underground. The two commonest that can be ground nesters are Vespula vulgaris and V. germanica. V. rufa always nests underground too, and Dolichovespula sylvestris does fairly often.

Hornets very occasionally nest underground, but the nests invariably relocate as the season progresses.

On SpringWatch this year, the team at Pensthorpe had a camera on a nest of Dolichovespula saxonica in a Kingfisher nest bank - a sort of aerial ground nest if you like!