Wasp nest in ground

[Peasgood]

49 minutes ago, Steven P said:

Increasing the reaction over time with wasps - the more you get stung, the more chance of a bad reaction next time

As a kid a wasp sting was no more than getting stuck with a pin, no I didn't like it but no big deal. These days it hurts like feck for 30 minutes and then gone bar an occasional itchiness where I was stung.

My day job is squashing apples, when I am squashing the early varieties it is like standing in a swarm of wasps, there can be literally hundreds of them. Very rarely get stung and even then it is because you got hold of one by accident but my bottle does go on a regular basis and I just say feck that! I have been known to get the industrial vacuum out to reduce numbers in the shed.

[peds]

Scary to read to be honest, I've been stung in the past with no problems but not for years now. A bee 4 years ago, no idea before that.

I hope that increasing sting allergy thing isn't contagious!  

 

I'm allergic to imported Chinese farmed snails, closes my throat and eyes. The first time we found out it was quite scary, the second time it happened was pretty damn funny.

[sime42]

1 hour ago, peds said:

Scary to read to be honest, I've been stung in the past with no problems but not for years now. A bee 4 years ago, no idea before that.

I hope that increasing sting allergy thing isn't contagious!  

 

I'm allergic to imported Chinese farmed snails, closes my throat and eyes. The first time we found out it was quite scary, the second time it happened was pretty damn funny.

 

Trust you to have a niche epicurean allergy!

 

 

[Peasgood]

The first apples that are ready in my orchard are Discovery, usually mid August. The wasps are still very active and in bad years they take a significant amount of the apples.

One year I was picking them on my own and eventually my bottle went and I left them. Later I saw my Romanian workers and asked if they wanted a bit of overtime. They did it and nobody got stung.

 

By time the maincrop apples are ready a month later you rarely see a wasp.

 

[nepia]

What an amazing pic 👍

[peds]

1 hour ago, manco said:

stop eating snails then you dirty icky sod! 

 

European farmed, or foraged wild snails are fine, and delicious. 

[richy_B]

I ran one over with my mulcher. Unfortunately tractor window was open and they were on me in less than 10 seconds.  I ran for about 120 metres before they stopped attacking me. Had a long sleeve shirt on which saved me initially although had to discard it after about 60 metres.

 

Had about 25 stings across back and shoulders. Was a scary moment. I have an epi pen in the vans as a consequence of this. 

[Muddy42]

I have a huge wasps nest under my roof area, in an area that is quite warm and centrally heated. Is it the cold that kills off wasps or do they die naturally every year?  I'm nervous these ones might not leave and I have roofing work to do next year.  I know there were wasps there last year, but I can't be sure it was the exact same nest.  I want to remove it over the winter and spray some "chemicals" in the area to make it less attractive to wasps in the future.  Should I wear a bee suit as well?  Any advice appreciated.

[Steven P]

I got 'a man' to deal with one before I got the roofers in - I thought if they see a nest they'll be off and weeks before I can book them in again,

 

Usually they will die off, cold, but occasionally will survive the winter.. particularly if they have a warm nest. The will need a purpose in life (a queen) usually, rare but some queens take over where the old one died and a nest can be reused the next year. In mine the new queens were good and took off into the wilds apart from 1 lazy queen each year who nested in the insulation and made a new nest in the loft.

 

I know it is a cost but for peace of mind if I was getting work done again I'd get someone in to deal with it if I saw wasps in the loft. Depends on the loft, I'd consider  long stick and prodding it - with a quick escape planned just in case and do to sure (stick, kids arrow, tennis ball....). Wasps also fly towards light, stick the loft light on and any wasps will fly round it - curious - and another test, put the light on come back 10 mins later and see.

 

 

My 'man' spent more time telling me wasp stuff than he did squirting powder at them!!

[Muddy42]

16 hours ago, Steven P said:

I got 'a man' to deal with one before I got the roofers in - I thought if they see a nest they'll be off and weeks before I can book them in again,

 

Usually they will die off, cold, but occasionally will survive the winter.. particularly if they have a warm nest. The will need a purpose in life (a queen) usually, rare but some queens take over where the old one died and a nest can be reused the next year. In mine the new queens were good and took off into the wilds apart from 1 lazy queen each year who nested in the insulation and made a new nest in the loft.

 

I know it is a cost but for peace of mind if I was getting work done again I'd get someone in to deal with it if I saw wasps in the loft. Depends on the loft, I'd consider  long stick and prodding it - with a quick escape planned just in case and do to sure (stick, kids arrow, tennis ball....). Wasps also fly towards light, stick the loft light on and any wasps will fly round it - curious - and another test, put the light on come back 10 mins later and see.

 

 

My 'man' spent more time telling me wasp stuff than he did squirting powder at them!!

 

Thanks, that's what I am worried about - that the queen will survive. I think I'll get a cheap bee suit and remove everything in the depths of winter.