Need Some Advice RE: Wasps

[katedenise]

Hello

I'm sure there are a few WAB wasp experts on here and I need little advice please.

On Friday, as I got ready to jump in the bath I happened to notice that there was a rather large bee on the bathroom windowsill. I'm a bee-fan and as such I did the usual "MAN, come and remove this critter for me" and my boyfriend came to my aid. As he was trying to get the little beggar out the window, he noticed that there were also 3 rather huge wasps in the windowsill as well (none of them looked too healthy although still moving).

All critters removed, I relaxed somewhat and put their ingress down to windows being open...

However, Saturday morning, as I'm brushing my teeth... 2 more wasps in the window...
Saturday evening... three more...
Spotted two on Sunday...
Last night... one dying on the bathroom windowsill, one dead one on the kitchen floor and one flew out of the front room curtains as I opened them before going to bed last night...
All but the one in the front room (which is still in there ) have been swiftly put outside...

I'm terrified and allergic to stings so its causing me major stress and panic

I have read on the internet that this time of year overwintering queens are looking to build a nest but is it common to get so many queens flying into the house? All of the wasps my boyfriend has put outside have been huge (3/4 of an inch) which is worrying.

I've not managed to find their ingress and I'm guessing they can't find their egress so I'm stuck as to what to do at the moment... living with it and putting them out when I find them isn't an option... any advice?

[posie]

Hello Katedenise, and welcome to WAB. they may be large because they are hornets or something similar, and not all queens. I'm not expert but have just come in to welcome you and to say, stay around a while and someone will surely come in that knows what to tell you to do....Posie..

[katedenise]

Hi

Thanks for replying.

Having looked at several pictures on the internet (and visibly shuddering every time I do) I have come to the conclusion that they are definitely big wasps. I'll try catch one in a jar and take a pic tonight.

Kate

[posie]

Good idea, by then someone will have read your post.

[thunder]

Kate, I am fairly sure that you are finding queen wasps and that they are trying to find their way out after having hibernated in your house all winter. You should see an end to them pretty soon, as they will all be outside happily starting new colonies (with a bit of luck, not any where around your house) as long as the weather stays warm. I had two in my house on Friday. They hibernate in any nook or cranny they can find, including on curtains, so it is unlikely you could find all of them by searching in the early winter.

henrya

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by katedenise

I'm terrified and allergic to stings so its causing me major stress and panic

Are you allergic to bee or wasp stings?

Wasp stings are pretty harmless and I find the don't hurt much or for long. Bee stings can be a different matter.

I understand the allergic reaction is due to the injection of foreign proteins into the bloodstream.

Jim

[Beekeeper]

I would also think queen wasps or hornets as it is still a bit too early for the workers to be around.

It is posible there was a nest maybe in your loft last year and queens have used it to hibernate over the winter.

Its not unheard of for many queens to hibernate together, i had a covered wood stack at home several years ago and when i went to move it all, numerous hornet queens flew out, there was the previous year a nest close by and the queens found my wood stack the perfect place.

I would suggest you check out your loft space and other areas likely to have been host to a nest, if you find one you should remove it just in case it becomes occupied for a second year, which sometimes happens.

Ian

[eucera]

It would be very very unusual for wasps to hibernate IN the nest from which they were produced. They would have flown out in mating flights in the Autumn and not returned.

As for re-using nests - I have no records of this ever having happened. Each season, a foundress queen establishes a new nest in which to rear her brood. The wasps may use the same cavity as an old nest - but never the same nest

[1ebony]

Now interestingly enough. I have joined this forum for the self same issue, well similar. I have around 10-15 wasps at any given time flying around trying to find some whole in my wall or in and out of the slots used to put in the cavity wall insulation. This happened last year as well and I was worried that they were nesting in the wall however I did not see much activiy. However there are more this year. Would these then be queens looking for a place to nest or workers trying to get to a hibernating queen. They seem to be alomost fighting with each other. As one lands on the wall near a gap between the window frame and the wall or cavity wall slot another knocks it from its "perch" as it were. I have a young grandson now and dont want this to ruin his first summer in the garden now that he is walking. Help appreciated.

[eucera]

Welcome!!

I have to say that the behaviour you describe sounds much more like Mason-bees (Osmia rufa) than wasps.

Assuming we are talking about Mason-bees, then they are perfectly safe with pets and children, and will be around for only a few weeks each year.

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