The running up to Spring is an interesting time here in Devon. Temperatures can sometimes be quite warm during the day and quite cold at night. So hibernating insects will sometimes get very confused and come out of hibernation too soon. Wasps often hibernate in our wood log store and when we bring the logs inside for the wood burner, well… even tough we try our best to check the logs, we occasionally miss one hiding way in a wood log crack. Other times they come out of hibernation too soon and enter the house flying around looking for places for a nest. In these moments it is a song and dance to try to get them out of the window safely.
Wasps are excellent and very important pollinators and I am sad to say we have lost a few… Earlier this year two confused queen wasps entered the conservatory: One managed to get out, the other went into a panic and flew straight into the lair of one of our resident cellar spiders. This is my ode to our lost wasp queen.
