Where have all the wasps gone

[Dogtrousers]

There are things anyone with a garden can do to make a difference; no weedkillers, tolerate a bit of mess, don't put concrete, resin or tarmac everywhere.

I'm doing my bit

 

[Julia9054]

In my experience, 80% of the world’s wasps live in southern Germany.
You get given 2 beer mats with your drink. The second one goes on top to stop the wasps committing suicide in it.

 

[gbb]

Heaps of birds here in S E Lakes.

Very few wasps this year, ditto spiders and huge, long fat slugs.

Maybe all the rain this year has affected them?

Yes, maybe the very wet winter and spring. Like others not really seeing Wasps. Bees seem OK.
Red Kite abound around Cambs and Northants.
Ironically we holidayed in mid Wales this summer and saw plenty of advertising of their Red Kites, released there before anywhere else I think ...but didn't actually see any. Here, they're two a penny.
Butterfly'sand moths seem a regular enough sighting, ladybirds perhaps not so.

 

[Julia9054]

Red kites. Aka Yorkshire vultures

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm sure I posted on this thread last year, as in 2025, but it seems the last post made was in September 2024.🤔 Anyway, I'd just like to post that I saw my first wasp of 2026 two days ago. I heard that familiar slow moving buzzing sound, which strikes fear into you🙄😉, then I saw it! It was moving around the various cereal boxes on top of one of my kitchen cupboards. I was 10 minutes away from going out for the afternoon, so I didn't panic thinking how I was going to avoid it. Instead I left my already open windows open as I usually do, walked out my flat and on return it had left!😉 Last year I only had to 'euthanise' one wasp that was seriously thinking of attacking/stinging me. I felt bad after spraying it with wasp killer stuff, but It was either me or the wasp so🤷‍♂️.

 

[gbb]

Heaps of birds here in S E Lakes.

Very few wasps this year, ditto spiders and huge, long fat slugs.

Maybe all the rain this year has affected them?

I note plenty of birdlife in the countryside, and yet...Red Kite, usually very common round here normally are perhaps a little scarier, maybe.
Lots of urban feral doves and people feeding them, we see dead and dying ones so perhaps theyre a hot-spot for bird flu.
Ladybirds and butterflies were quite.plentiful last summer, seeing butterflies now but perhaps a bit early to have a real idea of how theyre doing.

And yes, the very damp / wet winter may have had an impact?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Plenty of red kites round here

 

[DCLane]

There appear to be far, far more queen wasps where I am than last year with at least one a day finding it's way into the house.

 

[Pblakeney]

There appear to be far, far more queen wasps where I am than last year with at least one a day finding it's way into the house.

Same here.
Really annoying as it is nice to have the windows open and loads of fresh air.

 

[NorthernSky]

had my first wasp of the year in the kitchen. it was sitting on blinds going mad with stinger. he didn't look too happy or want to leave of his own accord , toilet roll was initiated!
wasps really do tend to put the fear of god in you

 

[Elybazza61]

Plenty of wasps, bees and hornets here ,we usually get lots of 'social' wasps at the end of summer feasting on the flowers on one of our
Persicarias.

 

[DRM]

The hornet I saw in Nicosia was like a C-17 Globestar, and made a U.K wasp look like a Cessna how it flew was beyond me, it's sting must have had a kick like a mule!

 

[Gillstay]

Sometimes the big scarey ones are harmless. Its all show. Or like Hornets they are quite inquisitive rather than aggressive.

 

[Dadam]

At this time of year the “big scary ones“ are queens emerging from hibernation and looking for a place to build a nest. At least the ones with wasp colouring are. Hornets are a little bit more orange/brown on the thorax than wasps and with a mainly yellow face.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Sometimes the big scarey ones are harmless. Its all show. Or like Hornets they are quite inquisitive rather than aggressive.

@Gillstay's pet hornet jumps up at someone:

"It's all right - she's just friendly. She likes to play."