Possible wasp problem

[donzy84]

Hi Everyone,

I hope some one will be able to help. I am very new to gardening and I've stumbled across this forum by chance.

This year I planted some autumn bliss raspberries and they are doing great the only problem I have is the amount of wasps! The buds are just opening and some fruit has formed but there are constantly wasps on them.

I'm not too bothered if they're not doing any harm, but am worried that they are going to destroy them.

I thought about covering them with netting but thats not really an option at the moment as they need pollenating.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[shirlthegirl43]

Are you sure it is wasps? It could be bees and hoverflies doing your pollinating.

welcome to the vine by the way.

[donzy84]

Hiya,

I'd say i'm 90% sure that they are wasps def not hoverflies or regular bees. also they tend to spend ages on one bud, whereas most bees bumble around from one to the other.

[burnie]

Wasps do look for something sweet this time of year,feeding up the queens for next year.They will do a bit of polinating and I wouldn't worry about any damage,unless it's to you after they've stung.It's apples they usually spoil this time of year,boring holes in them.

[Maddie106]

I seem to have LOADS of wasps around at the moment.

It might be worth checking your raspberry canes carefully because I DID once have a nest in amongst the canes.

[donzy84]

I seem to have LOADS of wasps around at the moment.

It might be worth checking your raspberry canes carefully because I DID once have a nest in amongst the canes.

Yea I though that at first def no nest as only a few canes in pot but will check out surrounding area as my mum has a nest in the gutter.

[Shadylane]

The wasps have been real chuffs this year. We inherited a plum tree with the lottie and although we did manage to get some, the wasps had most of em and now if that wasn't enough they've started on the autumn raspberries. The cheek. They really enjoyed the gooseberries too. We did manage to pick plenty and the wasps left us alone while we did so as they were too interested in the fruit. Try and pick them before they go over ripe or damaged and be careful there's not one hiding on the other side when you pick them.

[matthew2riches]

Once you have made sure there is no nest about, could you not net the canes with scaffold netting or another tightly wove net? That'll stop them from getting in!

[donzy84]

Once you have made sure there is no nest about, could you not net the canes with scaffold netting or another tightly wove net? That'll stop them from getting in!

The problem i've got is that most the buds havent opened yet so can't net because they need pollinating.

This is what confuses me as the fruit that has set isn't ripe yet. wondered if maybe they're going for bugs/larve although not seen anything and they're crawling right into the buds almost look like they're trying to get into the unopened ones.

[Madmac]

Put a fake wasp nest next to the raspberries. My friends have one and they've not seen a wasp in weeks. One fake nest is good for about 6' radius.

[Madmac]

One of these

Waspinator

[brooklynodog]

They said on the news the other day that its been an exceptionally good year for wasps (if not for us)

[basketcase]

They said on the news the other day that its been an exceptionally good year for wasps (if not for us)

Odd that; because apart from the nest I had, I think I've only seen about 4 wasps all summer. Usually can't sit outside to eat because they're everywhere!