Where have all the wasps gone?

Many people, I confess me included, consider wasps to be a nuisance – well actually I’m scared of them – is it unreasonable to want to avoid being stung? I wrote about a saga involving our household and wasps a few years ago – you can read about it here if you like.

Now, with my sensible head on, I know that wasps do in fact make a valuable contribution to the natural world – they are pest controllers, pollinators and decomposers – which is why they invite themselves to our meaty barbecues! I learned recently that in this country we accommodate less than 10% of the 100,000 species of wasps and hornets that exist worldwide. Of these only 9 species actually sting. But, they are the ones that at this time of year, seem to be intent on causing us pain, whether that be via an actual sting or the indignity of flapping about trying to escape them, which inevitably causes great hilarity for onlookers. At the end of the nesting season, the adults need sugar, which is why they won’t leave us alone when we’re drinking fizzy pop, beer and the like, or trying to enjoy a cream tea – or in my case today a cheese sandwich laced with M&S plum, ginger and Ruby Port chutney. I have to say this has been the only wasp to bother me in the garden so far this year which is pretty unusual.

So, are their numbers actually reducing enough that we should be worried about it? You may or may not be relieved to know that the scientists think not. Professor Sumner has spent her career studying wasps – a pretty perilous occupation I’d say – I wonder how many times she’s been stung?! She says the cold and the rain we’ve endured this year has made it difficult for the solitary queens to build their nests, so there are fewer nests than usual and therefore fewer wasps.

Other garden pests don’t seem to have been deterred by the weather. The rose sawfly larvae made a sneaky return to the Lady of Shalott. They’ve been despatched over the fence (not Victoria’s I hasten to add) – Captain Tom has grown lots of new leaves by the way. I should have known better than to gloat last time about beating the lily beetles at their own game. They promptly laid as many eggs on my lily leaves as they could muster. I’ve spent hours with my surgical gloves on squashing the grubs, which are concealed in lumps of lily beetle poo. At least that means there are some leaves left to put goodness back into the bulbs for next year’s spectacular display. You can view the little lumps of poo below and the effect the grubs have on the leaves – I really know how to entertain you don’t I?

Indoors the fungus gnats continue to plague me, but did I tell you I invested in a Drosera capensis – otherwise known as a Cape Sundew. It’s a carnivorous plant and it’s catching loads of fungus gnats, but I need to invest in a few more so I don’t have to keep moving it from room to room. It likes to sit in water, and it has to be rainwater. Sometimes I’m a bit lax in topping it up, because I have to to pop outside to the water butt. However it soon lets me know as it protests by turning its leaves brown and losing its sticky glands. It can’t be too unhappy though because it’s just produced a flower!

I’ll leave you with one plant that seems to have been unaffected by any insect invasions – I think you’ll agree, our morning glory is positively rampant!

Oh, and just before I really do go – Lily has been helping me mow the lawn – are green paws a variation on green fingers?!