Wasps Swarm at End of Summer


B. McPherson

Hundreds of wasps swarm greenhouse

Wasp hunting for insects in corn patch

Black and yellow warns of a bad temper


As summer slides into autumn many changes occur in my garden. All summer I have tolerated wasp nests in my green house. If they get too large and the ladies too aggressive they will be evicted, but generally their presence is a plus for the garden.
This morning I saw this large cluster of wasps(we call them yellow jackets for obvious reasons) on the outside of the greenhouse. I couldn’t decide whether it was a swarm for mating or they were trying to find a more secure winter home than their paper one. In fact, I still don’t know. I had never seen or noticed this behavior in wasps before. You’ll have to decide.
Wasps are fierce predators. If you can, leave them alone in your garden and you’ll find that they work better than any pesticide – and they work for free. Just be careful and look before you grab a plant or flower. They do take umbrage at being grabbed.

Location: 306 Fitzwilliam St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 3A4, Canada

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