What do I do with this? (wasp nest)

[Tim Downie]

appreciate that there's probably nothing in it but I'd rather not have it in my loft. Is is safe to remove it at this time of year?

Tim

[Mary Fisher]

Perfectly safe but it wouldn't be re-occupied anyway.

Put a bin liner round it and use a carving knife to cut it, carefully, from the timber. Support it underneath and lower it into the bag.

It's a beautiful nest, if you have children let them see it and cut it, again with a carving knife (it will be surprisingly tough inside) vertically, to show the construction. Or just look and marvel yourself!

Mary

[Tim Downie]

Just an old bit of felt (no, I don't know why).

Tim

[TheScullster]

"Tim Downie" wrote

What's the crud underneath it?

[dennis]

Wasp's nest soup.

[keith_765]

While your up there increase your loft insulation

[geoff]

In message , Tim Downie writes

Give it to Andy Hall -

[Dave Liquorice]

If the OP has no kids or gran kids, see if the local primary school would like it for their nature table. Better still and a good excercise for the OP to research and offer to do a short talk to the school on wasps and their life cycle.

Wasps are a much maligned creature, yes they sting and it hurts like *FCK* (experience) but a sting is rarely more than just pain and swelling for a day or three. Generally Wasps don't sting unless seriously threatened so it becomes an act of self defence. Just like humans they get a bit unpredictable when drunk. You wouldn't go up to a group of drunken youths waving your arms about screaming and shouting trying to move 'em on so why do the same with a wasp after it has been feeding on wind fall fruit?

[Andy Hall]

What am I meant to do with it?

I suppose it could be another application for the Mapp gas torch, but one would want to have living wasps inside to make that fully worthwhile.

[Bob Eager]

I'm surprised that Mary hasn't been along yet to say that the OP should be hugging it instead of wiping it out.

[Mary Fisher]

More or less right.

Thanks, Dave,

Mary>

[Mary Fisher]

...

Too late with your barrow!

Mary

[Peter Twydell]

One stung me on the calf while I was trying to destroy its nest in the roof space of our extension a couple of years ago. No big deal.

Next attempt at destruction was in our present house, a converted barn. The little devils had built their nest inside the wall, and you could hear them literally eating the house. So, out with the spray. One zoomed at me and got me on the eyebrow. Different result this time. Hurt like hell, eye swelled up (hideously ugly photos available), ten days of eye drops and antibiotics. Laid anti-wasp dust near the nest and haven't seen a live one since.

[geoff]

OOps - not paying attention properly there, sorry

Surely better to fill the nest with gas and light blue touch paper

[Andy Hall]

Now that would be exciting. Exploding jaspers everywhere. No less than they deserve.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Andy Hall saying something like:

You're a heartless callous beast.

[Dave Liquorice]

Self defence, well defence of the nest.

No, you could hear them scratching about they don't build from or damage sound timber. They make the "paper" for their nests from wood that has started to break down. The grey fibrous stuff after exposure to sunlight is a favorite.

Defence again. If some fecking great monster came along trying to destroy your home you'd use what you had available to try and stop it.

[geoff]

So, when you're sitting at a garden table, no food, no drink, no sudden movements and one tings you, is that pre-emptive self defence, or what ?

[George (dicegeorge)]

i dont think wasps are active in this cold.

old wasp nests can be moved into by mice and other vermin, thats why they should be removed.

and burn your house down!

[g]

[The Real Doctor]

I had great fun with a nest in the garden ... first dowsed it in meths, then waited for it to soak in, then set light to it. The best bit were the ones who emerged on fire and plunged in flames like very small Messerschmitts.

Ian