Wasps and caterpillars

[PhilR]

I have been out for a day trip on the boat today. A great day out and I was treated to excellent beer and food by the passengers/friends who insisted I shouldn't pay for anything. But to get to the topic:

 

After returning to my home mooring I noticed what looked like large specs of sandy earth in the shower tray and two tiny green caterpillars.

 

There is a 15mm dia hole in the roof lining where there was originally a light fitting, and when a wasp appeared from there I realised where the stuff had come from. A bit of prodding around and a 2nd wasp came out followed by 4 or 5 tiny green caterpillars.

 

I did a Google search and found this: http://butterflies.heuristron.net/bugs/waspPotter.html

To my untrained eyes It doesn't look anything like our

native wasps or their behaviour.

 

I don't want to seal the hole yet if it is likely that more wasps might emerge. But it seems that there are no more adult wasps and I am sure the polystyrene insulation isn't very tasty.

 

Any comments welcome.

 

Cheers

Phil

Edited July 10, 2014 by PhilR

[Felshampo]

Several species of solitary wasps and bees put caterpillars in holes and then lay eggs on them. Any chance of a photo and then I should be able to give you an ID.

[luctor et emergo]

Get rid of the caterpillars, they are wasp nurseries...

 

 

(don't tell BSP..)

[PhilR]

Several species of solitary wasps and bees put caterpillars in holes and then lay eggs on them. Any chance of a photo and then I should be able to give you an ID.

 

Thanks for your reply, but I didn't think to take photos before I took them outside. But it is reassuring to know that they are solitary wasps. I'll seal the hole up tomorrow.

 

Get rid of the caterpillars, they are wasp nurseries...

 

 

(don't tell BSP..)

 

They have all been removed now.

 

[patty-ann]

Isn't nature great, i have just moved into a house thats a rip out, boat still not ready, tonight driven upstairs by swarms of flying ants that took over downstairs and when I ventured into the bathroom white slugs all over floor. I have not yet lost my cool but getting close!

[Peter X]

Isn't nature great, i have just moved into a house thats a rip out, boat still not ready, tonight driven upstairs by swarms of flying ants that took over downstairs and when I ventured into the bathroom white slugs all over floor. I have not yet lost my cool but getting close!

 

Last week I had flying ants in a gap under the shower tray in my downstairs bathroom. The gap is there because some tiles fell off about two years ago, then I found the wood behind was damp and got a plumber in who tightened the drain hole up and told me to wait and see if the wood dried out. I waited a long time and the wood did indeed dry out, then I never got around to sticking the tiles back on and last week I got ant squatters in there. So I hovered up every ant I could see, bagged them up in the front garden and binned it, but a few days later there were thousands more. More hoovering followed by ant powder and that seems to have done the trick.

 

My ants didn't venture beyond one corner of the bathroom, but if yours have really taken over the whole downstairs of your house that does sound a bit biblical. I suggest you hoover up what you can, empty the thing outdoors, get some ant powder and follow the instructions pronto!

 

Do people get ants much on boats? I'd expect the water to be a fairly effective barrier, though I suppose they could always walk along a mooring rope?

[Paul G2]

Isn't nature great, i have just moved into a house thats a rip out, boat still not ready, tonight driven upstairs by swarms of flying ants that took over downstairs and when I ventured into the bathroom white slugs all over floor. I have not yet lost my cool but getting close!

 

 

If you ever want to see some really cool insect photography - The Hellstrom Chronicle.

[Naughty Cal]

 

Last week I had flying ants in a gap under the shower tray in my downstairs bathroom. The gap is there because some tiles fell off about two years ago, then I found the wood behind was damp and got a plumber in who tightened the drain hole up and told me to wait and see if the wood dried out. I waited a long time and the wood did indeed dry out, then I never got around to sticking the tiles back on and last week I got ant squatters in there. So I hovered up every ant I could see, bagged them up in the front garden and binned it, but a few days later there were thousands more. More hoovering followed by ant powder and that seems to have done the trick.

 

My ants didn't venture beyond one corner of the bathroom, but if yours have really taken over the whole downstairs of your house that does sound a bit biblical. I suggest you hoover up what you can, empty the thing outdoors, get some ant powder and follow the instructions pronto!

 

Do people get ants much on boats? I'd expect the water to be a fairly effective barrier, though I suppose they could always walk along a mooring rope?

Yes. We have had a temporary infestation of ants on NC.

 

We moored up to help some friends through a lock after we had gone through. On our return we had literally hundreds of ants onboard. Can only assume they marched up the rope!

 

The weapon of choice to evict them was a friends handheld Dyson. Took a few goes to get them all though!

 

We have also been boarded by earwigs on the Broads and snails on the Witham in the last six years!

[Mac of Cygnet]

There are supposed to be 'flying ant days' when on a few occasions each summer all over the UK ants take off and fly in reproductive swarms on the same day, but I suspect it's a bit more complicated than that

 

Be wary of the earwigs. I believe the French for earwig is 'pierce-oreille', which means the same thing, really.

[Bunny]

Funny thing . I saw a small wasp carrying a caterpillar trying to get in our front door windows last week . I did wonder what it was trying to do , now I know. Glad the doors were closed . Hung about for an hour or so .Bunny.

[Unmani]

There are supposed to be 'flying ant days' when on a few occasions each summer all over the UK ants take off and fly in reproductive swarms on the same day, but I suspect it's a bit more complicated than that

 

 

The Society of Biology run a yearly survey and the results seem to be getting more complicated each year.

This year there have been some really early sightings.

 

Flying ant survey 2014 launched 13 June 2014 Today the Society of Biology launched the 2014 flying ant survey, and is calling for everyone to report their sightings. The unusually warm spring may bring flying ants out early. Spring 2014 (March, April, May) was provisionally the UK's third warmest in a series from 1910, and nights were particularly mild. This is the third year of the survey. The results from 2012 were surprising, with two flying ant days divided by two weeks of poor weather. The pattern was even more complex in 2013, with not one but four peaks in flying ant appearances from 22nd July to 22nd August 2013. The flying ant survey data has been analysed by Professor Adam Hart and Christina Catlin-Groves from the University of Gloucestershire. Adam says: “It has been fascinating to see complex patterns of flying ant days in 2012 and 2013, and it seems likely that 2014 will show something different yet again. “The survey is dispelling the myths of a single ‘flying ant day’. Last year we had a flying ant month, and it will be interesting to see whether there is another long flying ant season this year.”

[comfortably numb]

As a pest controller I have a little knowledge about these things. The queen ant lays batches of eggs specifically to produce flying ants. These lie dormant until the conditions are just right and then they hatch. Those conditions are usually when it is a hot and humid day because apparently the thermals in the air are more conducive for flying. This is why they emerge together, i.e flying ant days.

 

The purpose of the flying ants is specifically for reproduction and they mate 'on the wing' and that's why they head for your windows because they want to get outside and have their fun. The fun doesn't last long though, because afterwards the males (the small ones) all die, as do most of the females (the large ones), but some of the females survive and become the next batch of queens.They are suitably fertilised so are able to settle elsewhere and begin a new nest.

 

That is why they are so prolific and can nest virtually anywhere.

[Ssscrudddy]

Well we had a Flying Ant Day yesterday in Northampton.

[BlueStringPudding]

Get rid of the caterpillars, they are wasp nurseries...

 

 

(don't tell BSP..)

 

[Naughty Cal]

We were boarded by a fox last night. Now that's certainly a first for us.

 

Little git chewed Liam's leather driving gloves and my favourite leather sandals.

 

And then just to run it in the swine was sat sunning itself in the carpark this morning taunting us

 

That's tge last time we leave the hoods off in Grimsby!