+abiherts Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I was wondering if anyone had noticed an increase in wasps this year? I have never been stung by a wasp before and was stung by a bee when I was six. However when searching for a brand new cache I was stung above the belly button at the beginning of august and again a couple of weeks later while out fishing with my husband. This time it went up my trouser leg stung me three times and only stopped after having to flash myself so hubby could extract it! Since then I have noticed a lot of wasps around hoovering a few cm off the floor and several wasp nests mentioned near caches locally, including one of my own. I have threatened not to leave the house again if I get stung a 3rd time this year! I am wondering if this is just a localised problem or am I just imagining things and just been unlucky. Any thoughts on this? Quote Link to comment
+MartyBartfast Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 (edited) To be honest I thought there seemed to have been fewer wasps about this year. Edited September 10, 2011 by MartyBartfast Quote Link to comment
I! Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I am wondering if this is just a localised problem or am I just imagining things and just been unlucky. Any thoughts on this? Not just you. I marked one of my listings T:5 recently to encourage people to read the description (saying: "bugger, there's now a wasps nest here") before visiting. Someone chasing D/T stats duly rushed to bag a smiley! I've never had to take action on account of wasps previously. I don't think I'll do it that way again. Quote Link to comment
+zarbi&zarbibird Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 The special school I am working at had 3 very active wasp nests in the eaves when we returned after the summer hols So although they seemed slow to appear this year, we have noticed more wasps around this summer than usual. Quote Link to comment
+simplysup Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Third summer caching, first year I've been bitten (twice, on separate occasions). Quote Link to comment
+Lydford Locators Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We think there are more aggressive wasps around this year. After six years of caching we had our first wasp incident recently. Mrs Locator was caching with our children when they were attacked, she was stung on her hand and our 12 year old had numerous wasps attempt to sting her but get stuck in her thick fleece, the youngest member of the group managed to outrun them. Mrs Locator had an immediate allergic reaction to the sting, which was particularly worrying when they were caching in a woods some 2.5 miles from the car and there was no phone signal. Thankfully the reaction didn't escalate too far, but it took about 3 weeks for the swelling, blisters and discomfort in her arm to subside. Needless to say that we're being extra vigilant at the moment. Quote Link to comment
+Happy Humphrey Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I hadn't been stung in over 30 years before last month, when I was stung four times when replacing a cache and on the way back to the car. No sign of a nest; I think that wasps are just unusually aggressive this year. They seem to be going out of their way to give stings out. Quote Link to comment
+MikeyG. Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Not worried necessarily from geocaching, but we've had to get rid of one nest in the eaves which has a small window nearby. And one of our neighbors had to get rid of 2 nests in the rooftop this summer. Quote Link to comment
+*mouse* Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Not just you - there have definitely been more wasps this year. Haven't noticed them being any more aggressive than usual, but we have had to hang wasp traps as a matter of course during our last few camping trips and that's a first for us. Quote Link to comment
+Palujia Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Not long back from hols in our caravan in Mablethorpe and we noticed there were three plagues ! Hover flies (which look like wasps but are quieter and don't sting) Millions of Lady birds - in some places the ground was red with them - and hidden amongst the hover flies were the wasps. Bought a new wasp trap - one of those bottle thingies. Put a little beer in bottom and within hours it had about 40 or 50 wasps in ! Had to be careful with the hover flies when shooing them off - the only way was to listen - wasps actually "buzz". Our holiday companions, the Beauchiefs bought a tennis racquet type bug killer which worked like one of those "Blue light" traps in commercial kitchens. Sitting in the caravan awning in the evenings a lot of wasps were swatted and fried. Got back down to Oxfordshire at end of holidays and haven't seen a wasp since ?? weird or what ! Quote Link to comment
+Phil100 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 To be honest I thought there seemed to have been fewer wasps about this year. I also think that I haven't seen as many wasps this year but most people seem to think that there are more! I do wonder though if insects are avoiding me! I've just come back from north west Scotland and didn't see a midge!! And, here's me all equipped with the moisturiser that is reputedly used by forestry workers to keep the mozzies away!!! Ding dong!!!! Quote Link to comment
+MartyBartfast Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I do wonder though if insects are avoiding me! I've just come back from north west Scotland and didn't see a midge!! I wish the mozzies were avoiding me on hols, I don't usually get bitten much as they mostly go for the missus but this year they weren't being picky and I looked like I had some sort of skin disease by the time I got back this year! Quote Link to comment
+Happy Humphrey Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I agree that hover flies and ladybirds have been in abundance late summer. Wasps don't seem to be particularly numerous but are more aggressive than normal. Other unseen biting insects are also unusually aggressive judging from the unprecedented number of bites I've suffered in the last few weeks. Quote Link to comment
+NattyBooshka Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Very few in the garden this year... don't tend to notice on the trail unless a stumble upon a nest. Quote Link to comment
+leebtyler Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 i've noticed more wasps too. a nest was found near one of my caches recently. Quote Link to comment
+PeakFault Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Have to say I've barely seen any wasps this year at all - something I'm delighted about!! Quote Link to comment
+DizzyPair Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 We were approaching a cache a couple of months ago, and I stood on a wasps nest that was in a hollow in the ground. Of course they were angry, and stung me 6 times, and did not give up until we were about 50 metres away. Today we were out and saw a wasp nest in the ground less than 3 metres from a cache. Quote Link to comment
+Yorkie30 Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Last year we had 3 nests in the garden all year, this year we have had 12 nests so far. While out caching we have seen 2 nests in rabbit holes near caches for the 1st time in 4 years of caching. One was very active and large and the noise was very alarming. Quote Link to comment
+FantasyRaider Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Look an angry wasp in the face! If you come face to face with a wasp that looks like this, you're probably safe How to spot an angry wasp: Scientists recommend looking it in the face Quote Link to comment
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