Yes, its the beginning of a wasp nest - the queen has made this in the spring and laid a few eggs in the cells - what should have happened is that the worker wasps that hatched out would then have enlarged the nest and the queen would have laid more eggs and the nest would have expanded - something has happened to stop that happening.
Here's a photo of what it would have become, bajangirl. This one was above our front door, and we didn't see it until it was fully operational. We had to 'doom' it, I'm afraid. The nest is fascinating. just like shaped pieces of paper, stuck together to make a perfectly layered ball,so clever.
I wanted to show you another photo, of all the little grubs inside the nest, but I can't post it at the moment, so will just keep trying.
Thanks everyone it is very fragile and beautiful. We have lots of wasps around the garden and a had a nest under the roof space 2 years ago but it was only an increased presence of wasps around the bathroom window that alerted us to them as we couldn't see the nest. They obviously like it around here as a neighbour had a nest last year. I agree they do good work in the garden and only concern me if they start coming into the house. I am glad the nest did not progress further as our shed is very compact and literally full to capacity so there would have been little room for the nest to get bigger. I guess they got fed up with the constant disturbance from me coming and going in and out of there and I would hate to have confronted a swarm of angry wasps getting.
Thank you for your responses. The nest is very beautiful and delicate. We had a nest under the roofline 2 years ago we didn't see the nest but realise when they started appearing around the bathroom window. We get lots of wasps in the garden which I ignore. I agree they are very useful in the garden and have no problem with them there but don't like to have them in the confined space in the house. I am glad the nest was not completed I can recall now seeing a few wasps around the shed earlier in the year. Our shed is very compact and literally filled to capacity so perhaps they were disturbed by my frequent coming and going and movement of thing is in the shed. I would hate to have had an angry swarm of wasps greeting me on opening the door. They obviously like it around here as my neighbour also had a nest in her garage last year.
Posts
Hi looks like an old wasps nest
i had a wasp in my greenhouse made one like that in two days, but seen bigger nests in my time on the gardening schene.
keep an eye out for wasp activity now you know what it is
happy gardening
It's the beginning stage of a wasp nest. Amazing how they build something so beautifully structured and fragile looking.
Yes, its the beginning of a wasp nest - the queen has made this in the spring and laid a few eggs in the cells - what should have happened is that the worker wasps that hatched out would then have enlarged the nest and the queen would have laid more eggs and the nest would have expanded - something has happened to stop that happening.
http://www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk/wildlife/insects/wasp-social.aspx
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gorgeous.
I have one sitting on my desk at work just now. A colleague's son had found it - but he's lost interest in it!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
No contest Tetley, is there?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Here's a photo of what it would have become, bajangirl. This one was above our front door, and we didn't see it until it was fully operational. We had to 'doom' it, I'm afraid. The nest is fascinating. just like shaped pieces of paper, stuck together to make a perfectly layered ball,so clever.
I wanted to show you another photo, of all the little grubs inside the nest, but I can't post it at the moment, so will just keep trying.
Right, trying again:
hooray, success!
Wasps may be a gardener's friend, but I don't want them right at my door.
Thanks everyone it is very fragile and beautiful. We have lots of wasps around the garden and a had a nest under the roof space 2 years ago but it was only an increased presence of wasps around the bathroom window that alerted us to them as we couldn't see the nest. They obviously like it around here as a neighbour had a nest last year. I agree they do good work in the garden and only concern me if they start coming into the house. I am glad the nest did not progress further as our shed is very compact and literally full to capacity so there would have been little room for the nest to get bigger. I guess they got fed up with the constant disturbance from me coming and going in and out of there and I would hate to have confronted a swarm of angry wasps getting.
Thank you for your responses. The nest is very beautiful and delicate. We had a nest under the roofline 2 years ago we didn't see the nest but realise when they started appearing around the bathroom window. We get lots of wasps in the garden which I ignore. I agree they are very useful in the garden and have no problem with them there but don't like to have them in the confined space in the house. I am glad the nest was not completed I can recall now seeing a few wasps around the shed earlier in the year. Our shed is very compact and literally filled to capacity so perhaps they were disturbed by my frequent coming and going and movement of thing is in the shed. I would hate to have had an angry swarm of wasps greeting me on opening the door. They obviously like it around here as my neighbour also had a nest in her garage last year.
I believe that they eat the greenfly ,blackfly and a host of other unwanted creepies from our plants.