Thetownend.com

I have a lot of fruit trees in my garden and normally plagued by wasps come September.
This year a wasp sighting has been a rarity, what has happened to them.
Even though they are generally a pest and flipping hurt when they sting, they have a very important job in keeping down the mosquitoes and other insects etc.

Ladybirds also quite rare this year.

Maybe I have missed news about the decline, so any comments:
 

There were loads about where I work (not in Swindon). They took great pleasure in attacking me every time I went outside. That's the downside to vaping with nice flavours I suppose.

They are all in Cotswold Water Park hanging round the bins overflowing with discarded lolly sticks and soft drinks cans

Dislike the things intently.

There have been fewer this year, none around my apple trees. Also, not so many Daddy Longlegs.

Coventry.

They have all moved here.

(http://vizbloguk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/003_03312014_11-15.png)

Ha, I went to that "beach" about 20 years ago and the place was swarming with them, never been back since.

It's weird, I don't care about spiders, snakes or any other creepy crawlies, but wasps I just hate and go out of my way to avoid them (In other words, I run off screaming like a little girl)

The lack of wasps is a great thing in my opinion.

That is just a blank space on my computer Ardiles.


I live near Maidenhead, Berkshire - conversation in the pub last night about wasps (or the lack of wasps) was a general interest of where have they all gone. Sounds like the Cotswolds nother has changed.

But here in the middle of Berkshire they have nearly disappeared, and good shout about the daddylonglegs, a rare species indeed at the moment.

Mentioned earlier ladybirds are not seen in large numbers this year, maybe the larger European bug which plaqued southern England a few years ago killed the locals and pissed off back to warmer climates.


Lots of big hairy spiders though.

They're all in Cox Green, Stevens. I've seen quite a few buzzing around my place. Bastard things

Ha, I mentioned to my mum the other day that we seem to be inundated with ladybirds at the moment (such interesting conversations we have..) they're everywhere! Still, they're quite beautiful. Wasps are wankers.

Ladybirds are actually known to bite if there's too many of them. Occasionally they have a population explosion and they eat all their prey (aphids) leaving no food left. Forced through starvation they then try to eat anything, people included.

So what you're basically saying is that we're under attack  :( it was nice knowing you all x

Nip into Steane & Co and see Gin. He'll sell you some wasp eradicator pronto.

I had a nest in my shed a while ago that I had removed. I'm wondering if they're now trying to relocate elsewhere on my property! I shall have to pop in there! I haven't been in that shop in ages

Wasps are bees with  small man syndrome.

:D ironically it's only the females that can sting though isn't it? That might explain why they're so grumpy.

I have a wasps nest under my back bedroom window - can't be arsed to get it removed as they were keeping the flies at bay and annoying the neighbour... who has fruit trees

 This is a good question....I hadn't really noticed until it was posed, but yes there does seem to be a jasper shortage this year.

 

Yes it is. Yes it does :)

We've had a procession of dazed looking wasps stumbling around inside near various windows in the house over the summer. Then they disappear again. Very weird...

Bee numbers were up where I live, wasps were down for sure, but so were mosquitos, which is strange as they are part of the wasps staple diet. Its all to do with the planet being fucked.

You're still taking Saturday quite hard then.

Christ how many of you have for fruit trees, its getting like County Living on here.... We will be discussing Aga's next!

They've all moved to Denmark.
Only about 3-4 weeks ago I stopped getting harassed by the fuckers

Coventry

I think they release some sort of acid from their knee caps....or something like that.

I thought that was Bez?

2 apple trees, one plum, and a cob nut tree. Squirrels stripped the plum and nut tree, before we could get any. I've even seen them eating the apples, which i didnt know they did.

Yes I have a S-Series Aga - my girlfriend loves it, I'm clueless and will stay that way. Couldn't comment if you want to discuss them. ;D

Fruit trees - three greengages, one apple, two pear - need to cut them down too old to keep picking, tidying up etc.

I went to Pagham is Sussex in the later Summer and I can confirm that all the wasps have moved there.

Bizarrely a swarm of wasps appeared in Nando's Putney this evening, leading too much unnecessary shouting and screaming.

Gods punishment for anyone who eats in that hell hole

I haven't seen many wasps this year but I couldn't care less, bastard things. As for Daddy Long legs, don't leatherjackets have a prime number cycle like a lot of other insects? So they'll hatch out in small numbers some years and ridiculously large ones in others? I also imagine the number of lawn care people I see about haven't helped.

Putney's a lovely place!

You should man up SY, they're only insects.

I got it

Of course, it is winter, so that might have something to do with it ?

Call me a genius if you like, but I might just have cracked it

Now that you mention it, I have too.  :wink:

Quote from a Guardian article about the impact of climate change and agribusiness on flora and fauna in 2015