A Wasp in my bathroom? Help and advice please?

Raphella · #1 (**permalink**) 29-12-2009, 10:34 AM

Hello

I am a lifelong insect devotee and was so thrilled when I found this website several weeks ago. I was wondering if you could help me?
This morning I found this wasp in my bathroom. The windows were closed and she/he seems very groggy and lacking energy.
Thing is, I guess that she might be a newly awake queen but can that happen so early? what should I do with her, I could not possibly kill her, however my family are not as adoring of insects as me and want me to put her outside.

would this hurt her? I have attached a picture of her below in case you are able to identify ?

Thankyou so much in advance !

ChrisR · #2 (**permalink**) 29-12-2009, 10:38 AM

Yes, I'd pop it outside in a cool shed or garage, if you have one, or just keep it cool and choose a milder day to release it - it will find a better place to hibernate when it realizes that it isn't Spring

Raphella · #3 (**permalink**) 29-12-2009, 10:40 AM

Here is another photo, markings are a little clearer! Thankyou so much

Jason Green · #4 (**permalink**) 30-12-2009, 06:09 PM

Hi Raphella, and welcome to WAB!

It's the Queen I believe, of the Common Wasp, Vespula vulgaris in Scientific terms. Have you turned up any heating in the hours before you saw this individual?

It probably got in your bathroom when the temperatures started falling in late Autum, and was re-woken by an increase in heat. Just put it in a garage or shed and it'll return to hibernation and awake in the Spring

Take care,

Jason

Raphella · #5 (**permalink**) 01-01-2010, 10:52 PM

Thankyou for the responses. wow, I would love to be able to identify an insect so easily from a photo!

but thankyou.

Having said that, I left the bathroom door closed whilst I waited for a reply. I went back to check on her several hours later and she was gone (No windows or anything open). Does that mean she has gone back into hibernation wherever she was before?

when she wakes up, is she likely to build her colony in my bathroom? I love wasps but not sure I want them that close?

sorry to ask so may questions!

Raphella xx

Jason Green · #6 (**permalink**) 05-01-2010, 10:01 PM

Sorry for the late reply, been offline with a broken-down laptop

Yes, I am quite confident she will have gone back into a state of hibernation. If there are no windows then I doubt she will attempt to build a new nest there - she'll move on in Spring.

Are there any windows or air vents, just not open at the time of your last post?