A sad story.

[burywoodturners]

I have a piece of oak in the shed, by the look of it I was hoping for a nice burr. I went to examine it to find the best way to cut it and I disturbed a wasp. This wasp was not like any I have seen before, it was a bit larger than the 'picnic menaces' we get and slimmer in body. It flew off when I moved the wood, and I noticed a short piece of what looked like a drinking straw sticking out of the bark. I got a pair of long nosed pliers and eased it out to find that it was the empty shell left behind when an insect emerges from the chrysalis, and it left a neat round hole in the bark, I think it was a parasitic wasp which preyed on the original wood worm.

Did I say it was a sad story? well this wasp headed straight for the shed window, it did not get there as it flew into a spiders web and I saw the spider bite its prey, wrap it in silk and start to eat it!, next day there was no sign of the wasp's remains or the web.

And I went to the shed for a bit of peace and quiet!
It's a jungle down there!

Ron

[ken rodgers]

I hate wasps, bees okay but wasps!!
Ken

[Les Symonds]

The only good wasp is a dead wasp....i was tipping a loadof ash logs in the garden last year and seven of the bad-assed blighters stung me.
Les

[bodrighywood]

Not sad at all unless you prefer wasps tp spiders which I don't. Spider had a good meal so happy ending.

Pete

[Derek]

I just talk quietly to them and they leave the shed is it the calm cool manor in which I ask it to leave or the piece of 4 X 2 I hit it with.

[fuzzyturns]

It's called nature, and you should count yourself lucky that you are at the top end of the food chain (until you run  into a grizzly or a tiger, that is).

[georg]

 
   You are lucky to have had only one Wasp  Look what we found  in the Kiln last week  .... We have now found if we
   play some very soothing music ( Elgar ) it will calm them down enough to let me get some wood out of the Kiln  .
   The last 2 Pics are last years nest from the kitchen.
   Kind Regards Tony di