Wasps

[cruiser2]

Had a wasps nest in the roof space above the extension. Got a speciaist pest controller to come and remove it. He gauranteed they would not come back.
It was covered by my house insurance.

Had another one trying to build a nestinside the wooden garden shed. Again thespecialist removed it. Had to pay this time.
I don't mind them but not in the house or shed. This alsoaplies to bees and other insects.

I have sen some white butterflies but none of the coloured ones like red admiral.
I have Eveneing Primrose which bees like.

[Kaz]

Bees like my lavender, I'm always happy to see them, despite being stung badly by one when I accidentally knelt on the poor thing, as a child - we had a hideous patterned carpet, and I just didn't see it! Loads of wasp stings, including one time when one flew up my long skirt.......

No butterflies for us this year, but quite a few spotted in D's garden around her Buddleia aka Butterfly Bush

[TheOstrich]

You've been stung once? I have been stung more times than I can count. Mainly because we have an old apple tree and I try to pick up as many apples as I can every evening. At some point every year I get stung. Flipping things, I really dont like them. Pointless creatures.

Oh it was just the once on that occassion. I outpaced them .....
I've been stung many times as a child, but not AFAICR as an adult.

My SiL has to be very careful. She has been stung more than once but the last time, when she was around 70, i guess, she suffered anaphylactic shock and needed medical attention. She was told the next time could be far more serious.

[saundra]

No wasps here and only the odd white butterflies very sad I love butterflies

[miasmum]

You've been stung once? I have been stung more times than I can count. Mainly because we have an old apple tree and I try to pick up as many apples as I can every evening. At some point every year I get stung. Flipping things, I really dont like them. Pointless creatures.

Oh it was just the once on that occassion. I outpaced them .....
I've been stung many times as a child, but not AFAICR as an adult.

My SiL has to be very careful. She has been stung more than once but the last time, when she was around 70, i guess, she suffered anaphylactic shock and needed medical attention. She was told the next time could be far more serious.

That must be terrifying

[cromwell]

And that's another thing...!

Wasps like sugar. I can still remember the window of a patisserie in France, swarming with them.
They come and land on your beer glass too. One friend got a wasp in his mouth when he had a drink of pop - the wasp had crawled inside the can!

[Workingman]

And that's another thing...!

Sugar! Wasps also like food - any food.

When we were camping in the South of France the French had it covered.

We would be sitting there eating a meal and constantly swatting away the wasps. The French were untouched, peaceful, undisturbed. They has this tactic - one for the wasps, one for the rest of us.

The meal was laid out then covered in cloths and left for a while as the wasps congregated trying to get to the food. Then madame would put a plate of food scraps in a little sugared water some distance from the table. The wasps could not resist the easy meal and the humans were left in peace.

[Kaz]

Frank, we were sitting outside a cafe in Devon once, where the wasps were becoming a nuisance. A couple came along and ordered a cream tea, which soon arrived, and caught the attention of the wasps, which proceeded to dive bomb their plates. The lady got up, flapping and waving her arms around, with the wasps buzzing around her, as they do when you flap, but the chap - now undisturbed - just calmly carried on eating and drinking without a care in the world..........

It was hilarious, and somehow she didn't get stung

[Workingman]

It's wasp psychology, Kaz.

Wasps are social insects like bees, ants and termites. If one feels threatend others will come in to assist - safety in numbers.

Same with food. If one finds a safe meal others will join in, hence the French trick.

Fascinating creatures.