Two queens

[jackg 7]

I attended a rural property to rid a wasp nest.

The owner had only seen the nest and wasps from the inside so I took a look in the loft.

It was a small nest on the breathable white roofing felt either side of a rafter, the nest could have been on the other side of the felt as well perhaps? Thenest was not very large, a shallow dome about 5-6" diameter and about 2-3" outwards.

I had a look outside and they were going in under a Double Roman tile. I applied some powder on the inside and saw two queen wasps crawling on the felt which is strange as only one queen is present this time of year and she would be laying grubs in the nest.

 

The only possible thing I could think of was the wet weather recently caused the queen or workers to lay queen grubs, not sure how it happens in wasps but in bees the workers feed royal jelly to grubs so they develop into queens.

 

I applied some powder to outside afterwards.

 

Any ideas?

[John Keswick 119]

Its possible that there were two small nests side by side and you could only see one?

 

You wont have two queens in the nest at this time of year.

Just perhaps you were mistaking a larger wasp for a queen? The size of individual wasps can vary quite a bit depending on available food when they were larvae.

[jackg 7]

Its possible that there were two small nests side by side and you could only see one?

 

You wont have two queens in the nest at this time of year.

Just perhaps you were mistaking a larger wasp for a queen? The size of individual wasps can vary quite a bit depending on available food when they were larvae.

 

Definitely not workers, I killed both of them and had a dead worker for comparison, there was a big difference in size between the worker and the queens.

[budgie123 163]

Its possible that there were two small nests side by side and you could only see one?

 

You wont have two queens in the nest at this time of year.

Just perhaps you were mistaking a larger wasp for a queen? The size of individual wasps can vary quite a bit depending on available food when they were larvae.

 

Definitely not workers, I killed both of them and had a dead worker for comparison, there was a big difference in size between the worker and the queens.

It all depends what type of wasp it is.The tree wasp produces a much smaller nest and number of workers and so produce queens much earlier.I have and a collegue has already removed nests which are in decline and have produce queens.I have a book called a field guide in colour to bees and wasps blitz editions which has excellent photos and information about wasps.

Due to the weather wasps are much further advanced this year.

I did not treat a nest while the 25 june last year but have treated over 30 already.

Edited July 3, 2011 by budgie123

[John Keswick 119]

I must be mistaken then!