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Are wasps smaller this year?

CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
in Wildlife gardening
I've been face to face with a few wasps the last few days and they all seem to be smaller than in previous years. Has anyone else noticed a size difference?
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Yes - I was picking blackberries yesterday and saw a few.
    I thought they looked very small too...

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    I'm impressed that you have ripe blackberries where you are.
    I have just come across a four year old article that suggests climate change may be responsible for smaller wasps. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2212024-wasps-are-shrinking-in-size-and-it-may-be-because-of-climate-change/ Not sure why this year's crop should suddenly be diminutive but we had warmer weather earlier in the year.

  • WaterbutWaterbut Posts: 344
    Only seen one wasp this year so far and no hover flies.
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I was digging a row of potatoes today and a wasp decided that it wanted to fly around my head, at first I had to check that there wasn't a nest nearby then I had to do the fast walk away up the plot (I made the mistake of trying to swat a wasp away some time ago and soon regretted it), the little stripy decided that it just wanted to buzz around my face and head. strangely enough it was so near and yet I didn't notice if it was smaller than usual if it was then it made up for it by its extra annoying behaviour.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698

    arossrob said:
    Only seen one wasp this year so far and no hover flies.

    We've had a few hoverflies recently and a lot of those were smaller than usual. But there are a lot of varieties of hoverfly so it could be they were a type not seen before in my blessed plot.

  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    I've had lots of wasps and hoverflies hanging round my cherry tree - it was covered in aphids so I think that's why. The hoverflies also seemed to be mad for my verbascum, I had around 5 on one spike, which is a lot for me anyway. Original question, hmm I can't decide to be honest! Maybe a little bit smaller??
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    It's difficult to measure a live wasp.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    You're likely to come across six different species of wasp in the UK and some are noticably smaller than others. It could be that you've had a local nest of a larger species in previous years and this year there are more of the smaller species. There's also variation in size between males and females and of course queens are much larger than a worker.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    That's possible. I am used to ****** great queen wasps coming indoors in spring but they get evicted pretty quickly because no-one wants a nest in their bathroom. Smaller species are not something I've seen around here before so I am assuming the mini wasps are the offspring of the spring queens, but it's dangerous to assume anything so if climate change can make wasps smaller, it can certainly lead to different varieties moving into new areas.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Ceres said:
    I'm impressed that you have ripe blackberries where you are.

    The first were ready on 6 July.
    I've just picked the last few:smile:
    I grow Waldo an excellent cultivated variety
    11 Kg's in the freezer :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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