wasps,eating mouse

[trevraz]

hi,
I have today witnessed a small swarm of wasps eating a dead mouse in my garden. is this an unusual event or is it that i just havent seen it before. they cleared the head area first ,when that was skeletal they moved onto and into the body. i did manage to get some pic and some movie. not great quality. i could not get that close and they were very teritorial.

[JRsbugs]

Hello trevraz, welcome to WAB

Wasps do take flies for their young, Vespula species usually chop off the head and take that. Seems there's the goodness they need in the head!

Janet

[trevraz]

Hi-ya Janet,
Have you come accross wasps eating mice though.?

[triops]

Hi trevraz,

Wasps feed their larvae almost entirely on high-protein food, including all sorts of meat, carrion, and insects. Watch a wasp on flowers hunting catching, killing and butchering insects, mostly flies. They will cut off and discard the head, wings, legs and abdomen, and take away the thorax, containing the flight muscles. The adult wasps feed on high energy food, like sugars and nectar. Spend a while watching the wasps and admiring their skill. When they bother you while eating outside, try leaving them some small treats nearby on the table and they will mostly leave you alone. If a wasp stings you, it is most often because it has been bashed by someone nearby!

[JRsbugs]

triops is correct in that wasps will take any high protein food for their young. I haven't see them eating a mouse to memory, but I think I have seen them on a dead young bird.

I'm not sure about the thorax only being taken, I took pics of one where the abdomen was left behind but I couldn't really see if the head was attached to the thorax.

Last year I had a better lens, I've just checked the pics and yes the head was missing! I had thought the blood I could see was the eyes, not a pretty sight. I got it mostly chopping the abdomen off, it was a big fly so took a while.

[trevraz]

fascinating little blighters arnt they. thank you for the info.
Trev.

[Jason Green]

Morning Trev, and welcome to WAB!

Maybe the wasps were going for the larvae (high protein, I should imagine) of flies that use dead mammals to lay their eggs on... just a thought.

Take care,

Jason

[nightshade]

Originally Posted by triops

Hi trevraz,

Wasps feed their larvae almost entirely on high-protein food, including all sorts of meat, carrion, and insects. Watch a wasp on flowers hunting catching, killing and butchering insects, mostly flies. They will cut off and discard the head, wings, legs and abdomen, and take away the thorax, containing the flight muscles. The adult wasps feed on high energy food, like sugars and nectar. Spend a while watching the wasps and admiring their skill. When they bother you while eating outside, try leaving them some small treats nearby on the table and they will mostly leave you alone. If a wasp stings you, it is most often because it has been bashed by someone nearby!

I stood for five minutes outside a butchers shop as a steady flying procession of Wasps took pieces of minced beef away then returned for more, I had not realised how strong a a wasp was

[Harry Eales]

Don't read this if your about to have your dinner, but about 35 years ago when I was a serving Police Officer I was called in with other members of my SPG unit to assist in a search for a missing male child aged 6 years.

The search was over several acres of an old derelict and demolished factory site. I noticed a considerable amount of wasp activity in a partially collapsed trench.

The wasps were emerging out of the ground carrying small items in their mandibles. I realised that there was a food source there that the wasps were collecting. A little digging and there was the body of the child. He'd been killed by 'friends' who had laid a booby trap for him.

Fortunately the Coroner was a naturalist, so he believed my evidence as to how the body was discovered. There some strange things happen to you when your an entomological 'Copper'.

Harry

[trevraz]

Well you live and learn...
Tahnk you all for your replies...
I was just about to warn all the local comunity that we have a new strain of wild flesh eating wasps that were about to devour the human race. Bit dramatic and premature me thinks now... ha ha..
Thanks again
Trev.