I've got a wasp nest

[Dynamo]

I've been to the lottie today and in a bird box that I have at the back of the garden I discovered that there's a wasps nest in it and I was wondering what other people here thought about it. I could easily get rid of it, I destroyed one at my home a few years ago using the powder you can get to spray inside one, but I'd prefer to keep it if its not gonna do anyone any harm.

The way I see it, Nobody but me and a couple of other people go anywhere near it, and if I hadn't noticed the activity around the birdbox, I never would have noticed them. Therefore, I'm quite happy for it to remain as a wasps nest seeing as I'm lead to believe that they are handy in helping to rid pests from my crop?

Live and let live or not? That is the question.

[Germinater]

I would kill them if it was me ..once there numbers grow and your anywhere near there area they won't hesitate to sting ..don't know wether they are good for pest never thought wasps were good for anything

[Nicos]

I'd leave it

( I've also moved your thread to the wildlife section)

[Florence Fennel]

Don't let on to any fishermen, apparently it makes brilliant bait.

[roitelet]

Leave them alone if they are not causing a problem. Iv'e had hornets before and left them. Come the Autumn they will go away anyway. I did read that wasps are endangered.

[witchwoo]

i had a wasp nest in my garden last year , ok it was up the tree, but never had a problem, they left me alone and i left them alone, mind you i spent many a time just sat watching them plus no other wasps came in the garden, i was all most sad they didnt come back this year

[Comfreyfan]

We had one in a tree last year too. Unfortunately they attacked a neighbours gardener when he disturbed it (which is how we found it!), he got about 30 stings and had to have some treatment - so we nuked it. It was only afterwards we found out about the fishing thing, so OH is hoping we get another nest this year!

[Tam]

I have wasps in the garden and am very glad of that. The only year we didn't have them was dreadful for pests of all descriptions. They are endangered, like many predatory insects, I presume it's down to the number of deadly sprays that are now used with gay abandon.

[Aberdeenplotter]

They sting for the hell of it but they do a lot of good in the garden as well. On balance, I'd nuke it. Safety first

[mothhawk]

I would leave it as long as the other people who have to go near it don't object, and it is not where dogs or children running about could knock into it and cause a defence reaction from the wasps. They will clear caterpillars and other pests off your crops right up to about September.

[mrbadexample]

I'd leave it right up until the point I got stung...

[Dynamo]

I'd leave it right up until the point I got stung...

Good policy I think. I'll stick with that one. I've never been stung by a wasp in my life so I'm pretty confident that I won't be.

[endymion]

We often get wasp nests in our garden. If they don't cause us problems we leave them alone.

The only one we completely destroyed (by spraying it at night) was right outside the back door - because they kept flying into the kitchen and we had a few stings. We had a tiny starter nest inside the porch once, knocked it off and put it in the hedge.

[valmarg]

I would leave it. At this time of year the wasps are voracious hunters of green/blackfly and other pests to feed their larvae, so will be good for your lottie.

They only get to be a nuisance in the Autumn when having done their job, and going to die they tend to get a bit drowsy on fermenting rotting fruit.

The nest will not be used again next year.

valmarg