The Wasp Family
Always wondered what they look like and what the difference is?
Well here they are in all their glory together with mug shots. However it is advised that if you do happen to be as close as this, and are able to take in this much detail from the mug shots, the species concerned is probably on the end of your nose. You are too close and about to get nailed!
Before the gallery, lets look at how they work.
Wasp stings are no laughing matter. They are very painful and in certain cases can cause severe allergic reactions (Anaphylactic Shock)
G.S Pest Control are called to deal with several hundred wasp nests a year and over the last few years this has been increasing. At one point in 2004 20 calls an hour were being taken. The nests themselves vary in size from the size of footballs to one that was dealt with in Crowhurst that was almost 1.22mtrs (4feet) round and 1.83mtrs (6 feet) in length. The charge for the destruction of wasp’s nests starts from £35.
Wasps
There are several types of wasps in this country, but for the purposes of this paper together with the fear of boredom setting in, we will concentrate on only eight. ONLY!
There are nearly 300 species in this country.
The wasps that will be dealt with here are all social creatures, albeit amongst themselves, which means that they live in communities (nests). They are of the order Hymenoptera and the family Vespidae.
The life cycle
The colonies survive for only a year, although we have found activity in a nest that was wrapped around a central heating duct in January.
Colonies start to die off in the autumn. This is generally when the temperature starts to drop regularly below around 9 degrees C. At around this temperature the workers cannot fly and subsequently die. Before this event takes place greater events have taken place in preparation for next year. New queens and male wasps have been developed in larger cells than normal and are leaving the colony to mate. Effectively this is the start of the break-up of the nest. There are no more larvae to feed and the attention of the workers are turning to your fruit trees jams etc. The males will die after mating leaving the Queens (fertilised) to find a cosy nook or cranny to hold up over the winter months. This will be in roof spaces under felt or cracks and crevices of a wall or beams, garden sheds or garages. If you know what you’re looking for they can often be found.
In the spring (mid April) the queens emerge and build a rudimentary nest generally the size of a golf ball or a bit bigger, with around 15-35 cells in which she lays her eggs. The queen tends to these eggs and subsequent pupae until they have developed as workers around the middle end of May. Once these workers have developed the queen will do little else except for the continuation of the egg laying process.
The Day to Day running of the nest
The nest proper and the every day running of the nest will be taken over by the workers. The workers will go about foraging for food and suitable material (tree bark, fence panels, sheds or your nice new summer house) as a source as building material. Basically they chew the material into what can only be described as a ball; taking it back to the nest site where it is laid evenly and very thinly onto existing material. The texture is that of coarse paper once dry. The same material is used for the egg cells but is constructed to make it much stronger. Altogether nests are an absolute art form.
Pest Control Officers have nest structures for those interested. But please make advance appointments.
Mature nests average around 4-6 thousand insects although we do get the occasional 20-30 thousand inhabitants nests.
The larvae are fed on protein carrion (meat) scraps, insects and insect larvae. The workers (females with under developed sexual organs) use their jaws, which are extremely powerful, to chew the food for the larvae into a ball and carry it back to the nest. If that food happens to be a winged insect, they will remove the wings first. In the garden they are particularly useful when it comes to clearing the aphids from your veggie patch and roses etc: The adult wasps do not have mouthparts adapted for the extraction of nectar. However they do have a particular liking for sweet things and can often be found drinking the nectar from flowers. At the end of the season when there is no more feeding within the nest to be done they will as previously stated turn their attention to your fruit, sweets and jams etc: This is when they firstly become a nuisance and secondly appear to become more aggressive.
It is also interesting to note that the larvae of the wasp offer a food source to the workers. As a reward for the workers bringing the food to the larvae the larvae excrete a sweet sugary fluid. This appears not only to encourage the workers to bring in more but also acts a bonding mechanism for the nest.
What to do
Often the first signs of a nest are the activity around a nest site. This could be in the ground, in a bush or tree or around the roof areas of your property and outside buildings. Generally there will be activity on the outside of the nest this will amount to only a few workers. If it is suspected that a nest is in the loft space enter with caution. Do Not turn the light on. Use a torch, this should be held away from you at arms length to one side. Unless you are able to use a red filter they will be attracted. The common and most logical way to see is by holding the torch in front of your face. The wasps are attracted and starts buzzing round your head. You are unprotected, panic and at best get stung, at worst loose your footing and go through the roof activating the nest if you’re close enough. You now have to be taken out of the environment potentially not only getting yourself stung but those who have come to your aid. Is it worth it?
If the nest is found in the ground or compost Do Not poke a stick in the hole.
If disturbed they will attack. How would you like it if the chimney of your house were shaken about? Or a pole rammed through your front door? You’d have enough to say I’m sure. Well so do they. But the difference being that they do their talking with a sting, which is used primarily for killing its prey but is also a very effective weapon when defending themselves.
Anaphylactic Shock
Wasps when they sting have an associated gland that produces venom. Stings in the mouth or neck should be regarded as serious. This is because the Mucus Epithelium (the lining of the throat) becomes very swollen and in turn causes the victim to have trouble in breathing. If the victim shows signs of breathing difficulties or feels unwell, giddy or nauseous (sick) medical advice should be sought immediately. Anaphylactic shock is an antibody-antigen. It is not solely associated with wasps. Injections of vaccines, antibiotics or insect stings can all induce this reaction. If you feel or you suspect you may be susceptible, consult your GP who can advise you as to what would be the best course of treatment for you. For those who are known to suffer from anaphyalactic shock the prescribing of Epi-Pens are often seen as a means of first aid until medical advice can be sought.
If you have been stung and do not suspect problems chemists have a range of relievers containing anti-histamine. |
