Killer Wasps in the UK
What Do Wasps Eat ?
Are Wasps Killers ?
We’ve all seen wasps flying about, stinging people and generally being a nuisance but the other day I saw something I’d never seen before - luckily the camera was to hand !
Returning home from a day out I quite literally caught this sight from the corner of my eye, looking closely I grabbed the camera to record it for posterity.
A wasp attacking and biting a caterpillar !
Wasp and Caterpillar Locked in Mortal Combat
The caterpillar was wriggling for all it was worth but could not get away as the wasp kept going in and biting it - you can see the 3 points on the caterpillar where it’s losing bodily fluid due to bites.
I was amazed on seeing it as it was something completely new to me - indeed speaking to others subsequently new to them as well.
It seemed that the wasp was simply committing an act of barbarity but subsequent research informs me that they do sometimes drink the fluids of caterpillars - so that’s one of the things a wasp eats !
Of course I’m only too delighted to see something taking revenge on bloody caterpillars and at least the wasp didn’t attack or pose a threat to human life - unlike Mosquitos in Lincolnshire not to mention Sharks off the Lincs Coast and False Widow Spiders
All that said I am reminded of a young local man, of erstwhile good character and remarkable hair, who nearly died from a wasp sting a few weeks ago 
Luckily, well for him - I’m not sure about society in general, he survived to not only tell the tale but also to have another trail blazing haircut
Seems there’s dangers even here in the fair Isle of Lincolnshire - you’re not safe anywhere nowadays 
Stingingly Yours
Rod
chris keyworth said,
September 26, 2009 @ 9:48 pm
What you have there Rod is most certainly a Dolichovespula media, or Killer Wasp, three stings and your out…..
I too am Highly Alergic to stings, sinc i got stung in Cyprus by a Hornet in 1998
Femme Fatale said,
September 27, 2009 @ 7:35 am
Rod,
I have just heard about another Ancient Relic!
“Happy Birthday Rod”
FF
xx
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 8:17 am
FF,
many thanks and well remembered ! I think I blew the gaff a couple of years ago on this one always been a secret generally !
Life Beigins at 42
When Should a Man Start Acting his Age ?
Regards
Old Rod
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 8:24 am
Chris,
I like the sound of that - Killer Wasps - very dramatic !
As to being stung by a hornet and the allergy I never realised that a sting could lead to further issues !
I have to say that by leaving Lincolnshire and travelling far beyond the reach of man you did invite problems from mythical creatures :- It’s little wonder I’m loathe to leave the fair county
All the best
Rod
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 8:42 am
On the subject of my birthday:
I’ve just received soemthing in my inbox
best wishes from one of my ‘Friends’ the lovely Cindy Pucci - how kind of her to remember
However, it’s exactly the same wording as last year’s birthday greetings - could it be she’s not really my friend, have all my dreams been shattered on my birthday
chris keyworth said,
September 27, 2009 @ 9:09 am
the rumer has it that live begins going down hill at 40 so that makes you 38 in reallity, yes Anaphalaxia is very commonon and a very real threat if you have been stung by a hornet as the venon so to speak stays in your system and lurkes in your spinal fluid, everytime you get stung again it gets gradually worst until you become intollerant leading to Anaphalactic shock, more than three stings can and does prove fatal on many occasions espeacialy in distant countries were injections of Adrenalin are not very common, the north African Hornet has a feirce reputation and it is a big one too upto 50 mm in length the B52 of the wasp world…
regards
chris
happy birthday as well for today mate, second childhood iminant..
Amiguru said,
September 27, 2009 @ 10:17 am
Hi Rod,
Interesting creatures social wasps. Here is a summary of their life cycle part of which you witnessed.
Queen wasps are fertilised by the drones in the previous summer and store the sperm in a neat ball in their bodies over winter. In the spring the queen starts the nest building and lays the first batch of eggs, the larvae of which develope into sterile female workers who then, on maturing, continue with the nest building and feeding of the subsequent developing larvae. Now here is the juicy bit……the mature wasps mainly need sugars for the energy to go foraging and cell building so they drink nectar and a sweet fluid which the larvae exude; the larvae need body-building proteins which are provided by the female workers. The proeins are obtained from the bodies of victim insects such as the caterpillar, the demise of which you witnessed.
As summer draws on the queen’s sperm ball diminishes so she eventually stops laying eggs and as a consequence, there are no more larvae to feed, therefore no more sugary food for the workers who by now are in their hundreds or even thousands.
Desperate for food and out of work they start marauding the nest of that other social creature Homo sapiens!
Now rest assured, I’m not going to go into the sex life of Homo sapiens. Now you know why wasps seem to pester us so much in late August and September, wanting to share in our icecreams, beers and wines, jam etc.
I used to hate wasps and destroy their nests when my daughter was little but now that I am aware of what they are going through I have a little empathy towards them. After all, How would we behave if we were out of work and food?
Now here is the sting in the tail: What do we do to the wasps’ distant cousin, the social bee? Yes, raid its store of sweet food, i.e. honey!
Thoughtfully yours,
Neville
the dinosaur said,
September 27, 2009 @ 10:23 am
Rod, do you think it’s deliberate of Cindy Pucci to send you a birthday greeting wearing her birthday suit? Or is she so hungry she’s eaten all her clothes because she seems to be eating her fingernail now?
Happy Birthday
Little Brother said,
September 27, 2009 @ 10:30 am
Rod,
A fine photo, well caught!
LB
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 12:26 pm
Chris,
50mm hornets - aye caramba !
I’m definitely regressing in terms of maturity - if it wasn’t for my interest in history I wouldn’t feel that old at all
Cheers
Rod
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Neville,
very interesting and informative, what’s strange is knowing they now do this is why I, nor indeed anybody I’ve mentioned it to, have noticed or seen it before.
As usual, I am staggered at my ignorance about things that are around me all the time
Cheers
Rod
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 12:32 pm
Dino,
you’re on the money again
She’s a damn fine figure of a woman and I’m sure the lack of clothing is there simply to try and tempt me off the straight and historic path I now follow
The devil makes work for idle eyes
Thankfully, Cindy lookalikes are rarer than templar Churches in Lincolnshire - makes life easier !
best
Rod
the dinosaur said,
September 27, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
Rod, whilst we’re on the subject of rare nature sightings, I’ve just seen something unusual over the town, a very large bird-probably a buzzard soaring round being mobbed by about a dozen crows, I could have done with a camera like yours!
Amiguru said,
September 27, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
Rod,
. Within seconds it was up, up and away with the flesh fly clamped between its legs, struggling for a while to gain height as the fly was about 70% of its own body weight. Once higher than the stream bank it made a bee-line, 
for its nest location.
I am fortunate to have a small, (about 60cm. wide by 15cm. deep), slow flowing stream running through the bottom of my garden and one sunny morning last summer I was musing the day away with a good strong cuppa while sitting on the bridge I built over it when a Sarcophaga carnaria landed and it was equally laid back sunning itself. Shortly, in zoomed a you-know-what and delivered the fatal blow
By the way a brilliant website to join is http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ as it contains oodles of information and pictures to a very high standard. To encourage postings they have a heirarchical system of membership ranging from New Member though to Knight Commander of the Wild Empire. I currently am a Member of the Wild Empire but it has taken 270 postings of quality to achieve that. I know it sounds a bit like Starwars but just go and have a look at the info and particularly the images in full resolution to see how serious it is. Some of the best brains and expertise in UK natural history are there.
Neville
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
Dino,
thanks for that info - really appreciated. I’m getting a few reports of buzzards and what would be interesting to know is how many are actually the same birds !
The can travel quite a distance in a day and it’s curious that not only have I seen buzzards all of a sudden but they’re turning up all over Lincs.
It look like I’ll not be able to go anywhere without a camera - just in case !
Best
Rod
Rod said,
September 27, 2009 @ 7:23 pm
Neville,
sounds like a great spot you’re in and pleased to hear I’m not the only witness to violent acts
I’ll check the site out - there’s very little better on the internet than good specialist forums - a wealth of information and a great way to participate in an interest.
Off for a look in a moment
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
September 29, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
Hey Rod,
Talk about coincidences, I saw a wasp rolling around on the ground at school today and thought it was dying until I noticed that it was hugging, (and biting), a crane-fly. After a few moments it adjusted its grip and struggled into flight then up over a roof out of sight. Seems they are still feeding larvae. Couldn’t get a picture though as I was escorting children at the time.
Regards,
Neville
Rod said,
September 29, 2009 @ 7:13 pm
Neville,
I wonder whether this is one of those things we only really notice once our attention is brought to it ?
Once the mind is tuned onto some things thery seem to spring up all over
Best
Rod
Tom C. said,
September 30, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
Hello Rod, I hope there are killer wasps in the U.K. might make next summer even more eventful.
Tom
Rod said,
September 30, 2009 @ 7:08 pm
Tom,
it could indeed make it more eventful not to mention amusing !
The levels of amusement would depend entirely on who fell victim to the wee beasties of course.
If a wasp stung me I’d fear for the wasp quite frankly
All the best
Rod