What's in my English Country Garden?
- alfiewoo2006
- Aug 4, 2020
- 6 min read
Bees, Wasps, Hornets- what are those buzzing, yellow stingy things and can you get rid of them for me?
Usually when I hear those words the client is flapping around their garden much like the insect, they’re trying to describe to me. Either the caller has been stung or is worried that being stung is a high possibility. If you have a known allergy to stings, this could mean serious trouble. Worse still, if you’ve never been stung and have an unknown allergy this could be an even more serious problem!
Do all wasp nests to be treated and destroyed?
No, they don’t. However, each situation will be unique. If the nest is located well away from people and is not posing a threat to anyone then it may be a good idea to leave it well alone or in some cases, it could be relocated. Wasps are very helpful gardeners not only because they are excellent pollinators, but also in that they help to keep your garden clear of bugs, ants, aphids, flies and beetles. As a wasp nest starts to grow and there are young wasp larvae that need feeding, the adult wasps catch these insects as food for the larvae to eat. The wasp larvae then regurgitate this insect food and produce a sugary liquid which they feed back to the adult wasps. In fact, in some parts of the world farmers will release wasps to eat the pests which threaten to eat their crops.
So, where might you find a bee or wasp nest? Well, I’ve found them...
In air bricks
In boxes
In sheds and garages
In cavity walls
In the eves and lofts of houses
In compost heaps
In a caravan cupboard
Underground in a burrow
In muck heaps
In a rockery of a pond
In a chimney
In a piano
Hanging in trees and hedges
Behind kickboards in a stable
In an off-road car
Inside a metal gate
How can I tell the difference between a bee, a wasp and a hornet?
Well you’d be forgiven if you couldn’t identify your nest accurately as there are 9,000 species of wasps (including hornets) and 4,000 types of bees in the world.
Bees are an endangered species and therefore at City Hawks we would always try to work with local beekeepers to have a nest adopted and relocated if one is causing a potential risk to you.
Bumble bees are round, fluffy and have three different coloured tails – white, ginger or red. They tend to hover around their nest and to fly slower and don’t often go straight for you. They can often nest in discarded rodent burrows so if you see a large mound of soil like an anthill but with larger openings – be careful as it could be a bee’s nest. They do make honey, but not a lot of it. They are incredible pollinators of many plants, and as such, very important in your garden.
This is your honey bee. It tends to have a fuzzy or hairy thorax (middle chest) and has pollen sacks on its legs like the bumble bee. Luckily for us, a hive will produce about 2-3 times more honey than it actually needs so we benefit from that! They are brilliant pollinators, so essential for ensuring that your flowers and plants continue to thrive. Did you know that their wings beat at 200times per second!
This is a common wasp (yellow jacket) or Vespula vulgaris and you can’t see it but it has a very tiny waist which means it can’t digest the insects it catches hence needing the developing larvae to feed it back its food in the form of sugary solution. So basically, it takes the insects it catches back to the baby wasps who eat them, they then regurgitate the sugary liquid which the workers eat. At the end of the summer when the now new adult wasps leave the nest to set up their own colonies, the workers are left redundant without their food and so turn to you at your bar b q or picnic for an easy meal. They’re hungry, angry and without purpose. They’ll fly directly at you and if you kill one of them or threaten the nest, they will let out the pheromone which alerts all their colleagues to come to their rescue. Each nest will be different – some will be more aggressive than others however this is our native species here in the UK and tends to be more passive. The other type of wasp that we often see in the UK is the Vespulagermanica.It is very similar to the common wasp, but unlike the common wasp, has three tiny black dots on the clypeus (lower part of its face). German or European wasps also have black dots on their abdomens, while the common wasp's markings have the black rings above them, forming a different pattern. They are also noticeably bigger and more aggressive than the common wasp – you often see them buzzing around bins at beaches, zoos etc. Their sting is more potent than a hornet and has caused heart attacks in previously fit people. Their stings will often become infected requiring antibiotics to treat them.
This is a European hornet. Like the wasp they have a visible ’waist’ with a smooth body. They are noticeably bigger than the common wasp as you can see from our images! A hornet has a more rounded, bulky abdomen (stomach) and a wider head than a wasp. Like the wasp they will often fly directly at you and are generally much more aggressive.
This is an image of an Asian hornet. There have been sightings of this species and if you think you have seen one, you need to report it immediately as they are extremely dangerous to our bee population. However, despite their impressive size, a sting from an Asian hornet is no worse than other British wasps and bees.
While it may hurt for a while, the pain will eventually die down although as with all venom, there is a risk of anaphylaxis which is a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal to humans and animals.
The Great Britain Non-native Species Secretariat is a joint venture between Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government to tackle the threat of invasive species. More information can be found on their website http://www.nonnativespecies.org/home/index.cfm
Members of the public can also report sightings by email to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk with a photo or on the Non-native Species Secretariat website.
Is it dangerous to treat a nest myself? Honestly, this isn’t something I’d recommend. An over-the counter insecticide may kill the wasps (if the nest is wasps) and if you spray the wasps directly but if you’re dealing with a mature nest you could be making hundreds of wasps very angry and they will attempt to defend their home. In addition to this, when wasps feel threatened, they release a chemical to call for help. Although one wasp sting isn’t normally dangerous, 30 or 40 stings could kill you. Also, if you happen to have to a European wasp nest, you could be in serious trouble as these are capable of causing a heart attack with one sting. Depending on the site of the nest, they may attack nearby people or animals. Sadly, even large animals like horses are not immune: if you have an allergy to being stung or if the stings are numerous, the body can go into anaphylactic shock which can result in death. Will the wasps come back next year?
No, they won’t. But bees will. So, it’s really important that you correctly identify exactly what it is that’s in the nest. Use our guide above, and if you’re unsure, take a photo without putting yourself at any risk, and send it to me. Make sure though that you’re not getting too close and that you observe their behaviour. A bee's nest will have sentries keeping a look out and they may fly into you as a bit of a warning with a head butt. Wasps and hornets will fly directly at you and are unlikely to offer the warning first. Remember, they are going to defend their home with the tools that are given so only get as close as you need to in order to take a quick photo and don’t do this if you have a known allergy to stings.
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