Re: wasps eating teak furniture

I agree. They sound like hornets btw. They may take softer wood it's just that the furniture is in a good spot. They may be trying to get at the teak or whatever it is and failing. That stuff was used on sailing ships as it was impervious to teredo worms untreated. Oak needed coppering or decades of drying.

..which is pretty hard to do if its floating on the sea...

I know this, I presumed they were using it to build nests.

Not at all

Mary, I think you may have missed my point, I don't care how much they take, they seem to prefer the teak to the other wood in the garden, which means that I can't sit down and have a cup of tea without being harassed, I just want to discourge them from the furniture, have you any ideas? Note that this is not one isolated chair, there are various bits of teak furniture distributed around the garden.

Martin

I feel that teak garden furniture is a waste of teak, but each to their own...

cheers, Pete.

A couple of years ago one of our local garden centres had garden furniture outside, made from a beautiful looking hardwood. But it was nailed together, and the nails were rusting even before it had been sold.

Sorry.

Oh there are things which will repel them but they'd probably repel you too :-)

But if they're going for the teak they're not harassing you ...

For the last three weekends, it doesn't matter why, I've been in a situation where there have been dozens of wasps at any time. There have also been dozens of people at any time - thousands in total.

Nobody was stung - well, except me on Sunday morning when I touched one accidentally when I picked up something which, underneath, was being investigated by the wasp. Wasps wouldn't investigate your china.

They were also coming to us when we were eating, carefully cutting lumps of meat from our bigger lump. It was fascinating. I took some pictures one evening, shall I send them?

When people panicked I told them that if you can see the wasp it's no problem.

And in your case I doubt that it will continue for much longer. Their nests won't be being added to much from now.

I suggest that you watch them at their work while you can. They're fascinating.

Mary

It's the mercury in your brain along with teh cotton wool, plus the smell of Fear that attracts them.

Or possibly something in your jeans....

I don't particularIy like them (thanks for the photo offer) but have watched them quite closely, they seem to like the silvered layer on the wood and strip this part off to reveal the fresh wood beneath, typically they will leave a little track about 2mm wide and about 25mm long, perhaps the oxidised layer has certain properties they are after, they don't take the fresh wood. Anyway, as you mention above there has been a decline in this activity of late, and they are more interested in the food from the BBQ now, I also watched one cutting off a piece of the scraps last Sat, it had to rest nearby, obviously took a bit too much to carry!

Martin