I don't think anyone on this list knows, Rhiannon, but here is a suggestion.
Go into the shed in a quiet part of the day and listen. Specifically,
listen for a rasping sound like someone lightly pulling their fingernails
across the grain of some rough wood.
This is wasps chomping wood. I have heard it once on a sunny day, from an
old fence (ie a softwood which had been weathered a few days). Peering over
the fence I found a wasp repeatedly doing a movement like pulling its jaws
along the wood. The wood was marked with scratches over a few square
inches. I think from reading about it, it was dislodging wood fibres which
it then pulps up and carries back to the nest to extend the walls. They
return to spots which are easy to strip. 2 years later the scratch marks
were only a couple of mm deep.
It's possible they will mine wood elsewhere, easier to extract, then fly it
to the shed rather than attempt to disassemble the shed's new wood (which
may well be treated with some nasty tasting preservative).
Paul
On Fri, 23 Jul 2021 at 19:16, Rh <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thanks for all wasp diversion suggestions
Fascinating stuff.
Will put into action though I’ve not noticed any attack just yet I’ll be
wary and now well prepared
Do they do damage to shed structure at all? Does anyone know?
Sent from my iPhone
On 23 Jul 2021, at 19:10, jan benson <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Mark
😂😂 good one. If you happen to be a shareholder, please tell them its the
packaging that is in demand…not the chocolate!
New idea: we could start influencing wine futures on the basis of useful
corks!
Jan Benson
On 23 Jul 2021, at 5:59 PM, Mark Sandham <marksandham63@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Mondelez's share price went up 1.72% today (Toblerone manufacturer). No
doubt due to this discussion, and increased demand for triangular tubes -
OxNatBees must have a wider reach than I'd realised!
Mark
On Fri, Jul 23, 2021 at 4:50 PM jan benson <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
no only open at one end, the furthest from the opening.Here’s my effort
from last summer…my husband waterproofed it with tape, but you then
attached double-sided velcro to the opening side, to attach to the hive
below the hive entrance. Not sure about Warre hive, but if its a similar
entrance, why not. The bees immediately got the hang of it.
<image1.jpeg>
Jan Benson
On 23 Jul 2021, at 3:21 PM, Barbara Elizabeth Robinson <
liz20swan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi - the Toblerone trick sounds great. Is the 'tube' open at the other
end or not? So open at both ends or just the end near the entrance hole?
Presumably this will work ok on the Warre hive opening too?
On Fri, Jul 23, 2021, 13:28 jan benson <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
i cant speak highly enough about the Toblerone amendment, as devised by
Paul!
So you get a large bar of Toblerone, not a small one, and make a hole on
one side of the triangle, same size as hive hole right near the end of the
box..(er this assumes you have round entry holes). Attack double sided
velcro to the same side, below the hole. Cut out other end of box. You now
should have a sort of periscope affair, cut it to be about 6” long. At
night attach to one hive entrance, ensuring the opening hole fits over the
entrance hole. Block other holes with corks. (Wear a suit as guard bees
might be on hand!) The bees somehow work out how to come and go up the
tunnel, but its apparently too complicated for wasps.
Next, take a litre fizz bottle, cut in half and invert the top bit so
spout in upside down in the base. Fill with cider, and a drop of Fairy
Liquid. Leave about 3metres from hive. This will attract wasps.
Next, try not to be sick on a combination of the open wine and Toblerone
chocolate.
Paul, I hope I haven't missed anything.
Jan Benson
On 23 Jul 2021, at 12:41 PM, Rh <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thanks Barbara
I was concerned about this too as very close to my TBH but no signs of
attack yet.
Any suggestions about how best to protect?
Thank you so much
Rh
Sent from my iPhone
On 23 Jul 2021, at 11:40, Barbara Elizabeth Robinson <
liz20swan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
We had wasps on several occasions - no damage to property but killed off
a weak small colony of bees. Wasps all died when autumn/ cold
On Fri, Jul 23, 2021, 11:05 Rhiannon Evans <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hi I have heard a (very) loud humming whilst in my garden building and
investigating last night saw wasps/bees flying in and out of a space near
the guttering.
Their flight l and shape look more wasp than bee to me...
They are just too high to see which they are and I am concerned about
any damage to the building and roof...but do not want to harm them....
I had the shed/ building re- roofed last year and it has thin wooden
and panel walls with some insulation.
I think they have been there a couple of weeks at least as heard faint
humming but thought they must be in a nearby tree...!
Any thoughts or suggestions folks?
What damage can they do?
Thanks very much
( rather anxiously)
Rh
