Life Among the Dead
by Wild Thing
Title
Life Among the Dead
Artist
Wild Thing
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
I found the following information on wasp's nests very interesting and informative. Almost as interesting as finding a wasp's nest attached to a headstone in the cemetery! Hanging there just as nice as you please.
The Wasp nest is a fascinating piece of engineering constructed from wood which the wasps strip from fence panels and garden sheds etc. The queen wasp starts building the nest from scratch in the spring after she emerges from winter hibernation. Wasp nests grow at varying rates depending on a variety of factors.
Food availability in early summer is a big factor in the growth of a wasp nest. If there is a shortage of food in early summer, the numbers of individual wasps will not be as high as "normal" years.
Available nest material is also important. Wasps strip untreated dead wood from fence panels or garden furniture and sheds which is converted into a paste that the wasps use to construct their nest. Despite age old rumours and misunderstandings, wasps do not swarm in the same fashion as honey bees. Wasps only swarm around the nest location when the nest is tampered with (under attack) such as when a nest is treated. Wasps do swarm when feeding, but this will not be in the area of the nest and not in the same fashion as honey bees.
When foraging scout wasps find a source of food, they return to the nest to communicate the location of the new food source. In late summer/autumn when wasps no longer have food supply in the nest, they can become a problem as they interact and compete with humans for sugary type foods, pub gardens are a good example.
In midsummer onwards into late autumn you will be able to easily tell if a nest is active or live. Take a few moments to watch the nest from a safe distance. If you can see wasps walking over the outside of the nest then it's live. Similarly if you can see wasps arriving at the nest and also leaving, the nest is live.
Uploaded
August 10th, 2015
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