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#1
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Wasps
When do they arrive? I've only seen one or two this year but can remember plagues of them last year but not when. I've a heap of plastic pop bottles awaiting conversion into traps. mark |
#2
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Wasps
"Jake" wrote in message ... On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:42:29 +0100, "mark" wrote: When do they arrive? I've only seen one or two this year but can remember plagues of them last year but not when. I've a heap of plastic pop bottles awaiting conversion into traps. mark They're around now but their lifecycle means that at the moment they're "beneficial insects" (they get their sweeties from larvae). Later in the summer the larvae have all grown up and the blighters are looking elsewhere for sweet stuff (like my apples!) Around here, it's usually around the middle of August that they start to become a pest. September is their peak month. We've got some giant citronella candles that we light when we're having a barbecue and they do seem to keep them away. We also have a collection of plastic beakers that fit nicely upside down over beer cans (seriously - you don't want a wasp flying into a beer can before you take the next gulp!). We tried the plastic bottle wasp trap idea last year but didn't catch many. Fortunately, in 20 years, we've only had one local nest (which turned out to be in our house so I had to eradicate it). As long as there's no really local nest the wasp numbers aren't too much of a problem. Jake Last year plum picking was hazardous as it seemed like every third one had a wasp chomping away inside, and also not good for profits as selling the plums at the gate paid for the heated propagator and other bits and pieces. I shall make six bottle traps and hopefully have less wasps and more plums. mark |
#3
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Wasps
Jake wrote:
On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:25:28 +0100, "mark" wrote: stuff snipped to avoid repetition. Last year plum picking was hazardous as it seemed like every third one had a wasp chomping away inside, and also not good for profits as selling the plums at the gate paid for the heated propagator and other bits and pieces. I shall make six bottle traps and hopefully have less wasps and more plums. mark Wasps, being opportunists, go for damaged fruit so if they're chomping inside then some damage to the outside let them in. As I've only got dwarf trees, it's easy for me to check the fruits regularly and remove any that show signs of damage. I also religiously pick up windfalls (which are usually bruised and the bruise offers a way in) and pile some up out of the way where any and all wildlife can get its fill without bothering me. This approach also encourages thrushes and blackbirds to peck away at stuff I don't want and they tend to leave my trees alone. I wonder has anyone else tried those "waspinator" things that are supposed to look like wasps nests and deter other wasps? Seems a bit daft to me to hang up some grey ball and assume it'll fool the buggers. Wasps have a serious image problem, don't they? No-one is bothered when they are out and about earlier in the year (you don't see them much then) gathering up caterpillars from your fruit & veg to feed their larvae, but the moment they are on ripe fruit later in the year, drunk as **** and likely to sting you, it's all "let's set a trap and kill them" Tina |
#4
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Wasps
In article ,
Christina Websell wrote: Wasps have a serious image problem, don't they? No-one is bothered when they are out and about earlier in the year (you don't see them much then) gathering up caterpillars from your fruit & veg to feed their larvae, but the moment they are on ripe fruit later in the year, drunk as **** and likely to sting you, it's all "let's set a trap and kill them" Well, those particular wasps are all under sentence of death, anyway, so it doesn't make much difference to them :-) Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#6
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Wasps are a major problem in many countries that they have populated. They kill the native bees for starters. Secondly they compete with our native birde for grubs and larvae. thirdly their sting has been known to kill humans. We all have a duty to control or eradicate these invaders.
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