Talkback: Wasps - Page 2

Reply to everyone Thanks for all the comments. I'm fascinated by the idea of whispering a removal plea to wasps, or even burning coffee to get rid of them. I usually don't have much time for wavers and flappers. The worst I ever saw was a woman on the hard shoulder of the M4; she was standing in the road, lowering the soft top of her convertible whilst wafting a rolled up newspaper about. I had no doubt what she was doing and still shudder at the possible consequences.

Spotted today a Periguin Falcon at a park in thanet , lightning fast.

Wasps have always had bad press, even as a child i feared them greatly and could always count on being stung by them every summer. But i have to say that the past couple of years they have indeed been a welcome vistor to the garden, especialy on the raspberries, the flowers have been covered with wasps and i can say i have had the best raspberries ever, the only problem being trying to pick them without getting stung, this i overcame by picking early evening when not so many wasps were around

Two new and rather unpleasant experiences in the last week regarding wasps. My six year old lad was minding his own business putting his school socks on last weeek, when my wife and I heard a bit of a fuss coming from his bedroom. Something, he insisted (through very real tears) had stabbed his toe and 'it felt like a sting'. Feeling rather incredulous, (this was a school morning after all!) I peered into his sock only to witness a rather large and dozy looking wasp fly out. He, my son, not the wasp, then duly received the sympathy he deserved and recovered fairly quickly, but we were all quite amazed. The wasp must have been there a while as the socks had been off the washing line and in the aring cupboard for a couple of days. Then yesterday, my wife took a pair of pants out of the airing cupboard, put them in the drawer and then later on took them out and proceeded to put them. Yes, you guessed it, she was also stung - luckily on her hip, elsewhwere could have been very nasty! Again, it was a fairly large wasp. Then today, I was putting clothes away in the airing cupboard and suddenly spotted another large wasp crawling up the door frame. They're obviously being attracted to the smell of the washing and the darkness of the clothing but we're becoming increasingly paranoid now, having to check everything before we put it on! Has anyone else had this type of experience?

I had a very persistent double glazing salesman at the door the other day,who wouldn't take no for an answer.all of a sudden a wasp appeared on the scene.I have never seen anyone go down our drive so fast in all mt life.Thank you Wasp for your timely intervention!

Reply to Bel These sound like queen wasps looking for hibernation sites. They are unlikely to be seeking refuge in the washing hanging on the line, but would find a dark dry airing cupboard exactly right. They must be getting in somewhere. Check the ceiling of the cupboard in case they are getting in through from the loft space above. Alternatively, they may be getting in through air-bricks, vents or loose window casements. Attics are often used by them to over-winter, then they crawl down through the small hole in the ceiling around light-fitting wires, attracted by the light and will be found buzzing about on the inside of windows.

Unfortunately I am petrified of them as I go into anaphalactic shock if stung by one which happened to me about 3 weeks ago so sorry if I don't give them good PR. I know they do good work but I would prefer it if they did at least 100 miles away from me