Wasps

I hate wasps. There, I said it.

But that aside, I learned recently that wasps become annoying at the end of summer largely because they're starving and exhausted, having spent the early half of summer mainly feeding their larvae.

With this in mind, an idea occurs to me.

I have plenty of bad apples. The ones that fell off the tree and started to rot, and ones that the slugs and bugs have been at.

If I collect all these bad apples up, as I have been when I can reach them, but then put them in strategic places in lesser used areas of the garden, I'm wondering if this will pacify the wasps, or if it will simply attract them from miles around.

 

I've heard it said that wasps get drunk on rotting fruit at this time of the year and that is why they become a problem.
Apparently the fruit actually starts to ferment.

If it's true I don't know, but although I don't like them when they become a pest when eating or drinking outside this time of the year, I have no real problem with them for most of the year.

 

I think it will cause you even more problems next year. If bees have a 'hive mind', wasps seem to have ways of communicating via sound and pheromones too, so if the 'word' gets around you'll be inundated.
One example of the way in which they notify each other is that if you're stung, it leaves a trace in your skin and you're more likely to be stung again, up to two weeks later, and not necessarily by the same wasp! I've seen that in action and it's not funny.

 

I've mentioned this before, but some years ago while walking the dog one of us disturbed a wasp nest, first I knew was when the dog started to yelp, then I felt a few stings on my back.
The dog left me and ran for the car about a quarter of a mile away, I looked up and there was hundreds of them circling above my head.
I started running still getting stung on my back and quickly took off my jumper, it was only a thin one and the stings were going right through it.
I then started rolling on the ground, much to the amusement of someone who was watching from a distance.

Eventually they gave up and I got far enough away, but had lots of stings and gave the dog a good telling off for deserting me.
Not been stung since.

 

Rotted fruit is sometimes used by butterflies late in the season as sweet top up.

 

Luckily! Everyone has a finite tolerance to insect venom, beyond which you develop an allergic reaction which can lead to anaphylactic shock. Death within minutes if not treated with strong anti-histamines. No-one knows what the limit is until one day / sting it happens. I uprooted a wasp nest in a client's garden and got 11 or 12 stings. Felt decidedly peculiar for a few hours afterwards. This year only had a couple, immediately soaked with vinegar, which neutralises the venom even if it does leave you smelling like the local chippie IIRC, there's been one year in the last 15 that I didn't get stung. French wasps take no prisoners!

 

Objection, M'Lud!! On the contrary, our pete is utterly irresistible

 

Thanks all. I think I'll go with my original plan and put the rubbish apples deep in the compost pile.

 

Just a thought, but apples are rather acid so you might want to add some lime in with them when you bury in the compost heap.

 

Cheeky monkey!

 

If anyone feels the need to have the last word with a wasp, reach for the window cleaner spray.It contains sufficient isopropyl to cause them to disintegrate.