Hi,

Am hoping that someone can explain the very strange behaviour of wasps in my back garden?

I have a perfectly normal garden table set, the table of which has an umbrella coming up from the ground, through the centre of the table, up to a normal height above it.

It is folded most of the time, unless we are outside and it is sunny and to be honest it is coming to the time of year when to take it down and put it away.

We have not had a lot of wasp activity this Summer, but in recent days, most of which have been quite mild, there have been wasps. But these wasps are flying around in a mini swarm, right around the top of the umbrella, like its some sort of Maypole and its flipping May Day!

I am not exaggerating, they are obsessed with the top of this umbrella. It is a standard, white, fabric, piece, which I bought from Homebase. I noticed this last year too when we had more wasps. I thought it was weird then, but now I am downright perplexed.

Its like their in love with the thing - seem to like parts of my fence too. And they are far too excitable for me to consider swatting them (about the only creature I happily exterminate - them and rats!)

Please let me know.

Thanks.

Asif

 

hi asif
had a similar problem last year
had just purchased a new table and chairs with umbrella
then noticed loads of wasps
couldn't eat outside all summer
this year its been no problem
could be the smell of the new furniture?
hope to see you soon m8, i owe you a pint

budgie

btw, you are welcome to keep my wasps

 

IIRC wasps "see" in the UV, so anything that reflects UV will attract them.

The white top of the umbrella may be the only bright/white thing around?

Alcazar

 

Maybe the wasps are thinking - that git keeps killing us. Lets really wind him up by flying round & round this brolly & he'll leave us alone

 

It maybe reflecting the heat back off it if the suns out you didnt mention that though? so its warmer just above the brolly

Dark colours absorb heat, light colours reflect heat IIRC

 

Dont you put beeswax on furniture? Maybe there confused and think its there house

 

its the time of year when theyre looking for somewhere warm to hole up. They think it'll make a good nest (maybe theyve started building one in there already).

 

I'm no entomologist, just observations and experience.

Wasps are entering their twilight this time of the year and can become irate. Sounds like they're swarming for their Winter rest.

Alcazar is quite correct about the UV thing, same as Bees; most petals have a UV "Runway" on them to allow the insects to pollinate them.

White may seem "white" to human eyes but may have UV lettering all over it for those that can see it.

If the problem persists, firstly it'll go away by itself given time and season, or secondly buy a UV marker and adorn next door's parasol!

There was a GREAT thread on here about how a fella dealt with his wasp's nest, maybe someone could look it up.

K.

 

That would have been Nimbus, one of the best threads ever

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthrea...t=wasp+optimax

Chris

 

That's the one. Extremely entertaining!

Thanks M8!

K.

 

As someone said, wasps usually behave rather strangely this time of year anyway, almost like they are drunk. Its because as it gets colder they are all starting to die. The only one to survive will be the gravid queen. The queen will leave the nest and find somewhere to hibernate the winter and start next year's colony.

I'm not sure why they like your umbrella, it could be UV as someone has suggested.

 

That really was a classic, wasn't it?

Pleased to see the pictures still work after more than a year!

 

Hi Peter,

How are you? Certainly dont feel like going outside, they are going mental! I did replace the table only as the old one was a bit rubber ducked. But they are still flying around the top of the umbrella!

Might just replace the brolly.

Yes be nice to see you again, pint sounds good.

Asif

 

Interesting...any chance of borrowing the python to deal with this lot? Unless you have some other exotic creature that hunts wasps? Probably something ten times more dangerous!

I got the rat by the way (from my other thread from a couple of months ago), poison did the trick.

Asif

 

Thanks for the replies.

Must be the UV thing reflecting off the top of the brolly then I s'pose?

It is white, but the whole brolly is, they just like the top of it.

The Nimbus Wasp thread was very funny, but I cant see myself setting light to the brolly because of the wasps! Lucky I dont have a nest buried under the grass!

Wouldn't do well for the stripes on my lawn to start setting light to it.

Might consider some wasp repellant for the brolly.

Cheers.

Asif

 

wasps are charvas

they were stripey jumpers and hurt people for fun

 

Sounds like they get a bit wound up this time of year, one of out friends got stung by a wasp yesterday.

Les