Wasps

[jonnybeegood]

Are queen wasps larger than the workers, the same as with our bees? I know all wasps die in winter leaving only the queen but i found one today in the greenhouse under a log destined for the woodburner. This wasp was dormant but alive, but was only normal/average wasp size. I'm presuming this was a queen?

 

[Hawklord]

It will be a queen, and yes they do shrink when they haven't eaten for a while or are not laying. Possibly due to swolen ovaries, much the same as a queen bee.

 

[jonnybeegood]

It will be a queen, and yes they do shrink when they haven't eaten for a while or are not laying. Possibly due to swolen ovaries, much the same as a queen bee.

Thankyou, i didnt realise that happened to them, nice to know.

 

[Moggett]

I saw wasps flying around the hives when I visited the out-apiary on Friday. The car was showing 7 degrees. They looked like workers but were most likely queens.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

I found a dozen or more hibernating under some hive roofs today when I was giving OA.

 

[Karol]

I saw wasps flying around the hives when I visited the out-apiary on Friday. The car was showing 7 degrees. They looked like workers but were most likely queens.

Unlikely to be queens. It's not uncommon to have wasp colonies survive into January and it's one of the most hazardous times for bee hives. A wasp colony will quickly strip a hive of its winter stores and as the honey bees are busy clustering then the wasps get relatively free passage with little sign of any resistance/battle - just a hive that quite unexpeftedly starves out. Might be worth keeping a close eye on the affected hive over the next few days to make sure it hasn't lost its food stores.

 

[Amari]

Every couple of weeks we find a queen wasp buzzing round the bedroom. A bit off-putting.......

 

[jonnybeegood]

Every couple of weeks we find a queen wasp buzzing round the bedroom. A bit off-putting.......

You wouldnt want two queens in the bedroom.

 

[wessexmario]

You wouldnt want two queens in the bedroom.

There's a joke in there about Elton John but I can't quite find it ...

 

[northernsoul]

Every couple of weeks we find a queen wasp buzzing round the bedroom. A bit off-putting.......

Putting you off from What?

 

[Moggett]

Unlikely to be queens. It's not uncommon to have wasp colonies survive into January and it's one of the most hazardous times for bee hives. A wasp colony will quickly strip a hive of its winter stores and as the honey bees are busy clustering then the wasps get relatively free passage with little sign of any resistance/battle - just a hive that quite unexpeftedly starves out. Might be worth keeping a close eye on the affected hive over the next few days to make sure it hasn't lost its food stores.

Yes, they did look and act like large workers. I assumed that the recent frosts would've killed the blighters though.