In winter all worker wasps and males are killed by the frosts and the lack of food, but the queens survive by hibernating in a sheltered spot - often in our homes. The buzz of a wasp is a lazier sound than a busy busy fly and her flight is more of a drift.
So she is quite easy to catch by placing a glass over her and sliding a card underneath. She'll be a bit dozy anyway until she has stocked up on some nectar.
This character appeared in my kitchen. After buzzing around a bit she settled down for her photo op and then I let her go in the garden. Hope it wasn't too cold for her. I like wasps. I admire them for their nest building abilities and they keep the garden pests down by feeding them to their babies.
Wasps are not furry like bees, and they have a very narrow waist. This spring queen is much longer in the body than the workers she will give birth to.
She will start a small nest by chewing up bits of wood and making a little, hollow ball. Inside she will lay some eggs and feed the larvae that hatch, on small invertebrates, till they are big enough to do the shopping themselves. Then she will settle down to egg-laying for the rest of the summer.
the title of this one caught my attention. I've been a bit lazy and using FB for the updates. Ive a interest in fairytales and how they correspond with nature. So unlike the version of sleeping beauty we're most used to, no male wasp coming to the rescue, here, they're all long dead. However, perhaps the odd male human hero comes to the rescue every now and then? Wasps, though, like the 12th fairy, (the one not invited, that turned up anyway) do get a poor review. The 12th fairy, does have a lot to teach us about how we react to situations where we feel we've been overlooked or left out. Your post helped me reconsider my attutide towards Wasp, just as the 12th fairy helped me reconsider my 'story' and behaviour around certain things. I'm even tempted to investigate wasp further. And yes, the nests they make are things of wonder. Although my heart is still with the large furry bumble bee, I think they're my favourite strippy flying insect.
ReplyDeleteBumbles are great too. About 26 species in UK, just surviving; and over 200 other bee species - mining, mason, carpenter, leaf-cutter and cuckoo types.
ReplyDeleteDo you know any fairy tales, folk tales or modern wonder tales involving invertebrates? I will try to think of parallels between fairy stories and invert life histories.
After reading your article I was amazed. I know that you explain it very well. And I hope that other readers will also experience how I feel after reading your article. beauty4u
ReplyDeleteThanks, Usama, for your coment.
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