"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...
There are plenty in my garden even during the rain - both bumble bees and
honey bees. There's many wasps.

Mary


I've not seen many (any?) wasps this year either. Normally the Virginia
creeper smothering our house is full of them. I think it gives of some
sort of sweet sticky sap that they like. I don't know if it is nectar but
the small green "flowers" are sticky.

It's called 'extra floral nectar' and can be collected by wasps which don't
have long tongues because it's on the surface (as you've observed). Some
plants, notably laurel, have two littld holes towards the base of the leaf
on the underside which exude this stuff.

Mary