1997 No. 52 Part 1 - Bedfordshire Natural History Society

Bedfordshire Naturalist for 1997, No. 52 (Part 1) (1998)
SOCIAL WASPS
by Richard Revels
From my own observations and from other records received for 1997, it seems to
have been a generally poor year for social wasps. The cool, damp and dull weather
duringJune was probably the main cause, affecting the aerial nesting species- more than
the cavity nesting wasps.
Hornet, ~spa crabro, records and sightings were down on the past few seasons, but it
- is still widespread in the county. Records ofnests came from West Wood in the north
and PottonWood in the east. Other sightings came from the OldWarden and Southill
area, Turvey in the west, andWoburn and Linslade further south. Overall, the Hornet
seems to be holding its own in Bedfordshire.
The Tree Wasp, Dolichovespula sylvestris, was seen at Sharpenhoe on the BNHS
meeting on 3rd August. Nancy Dawson had a nest in a ventilator grill ofher bathroom
at Ickwell and TomThomas had to deal with about a dozen nests ofthis species in
Luton, which is up on the last few years.
TomThomas had considerably fewer nests ofthe Median wasp, D. media, to deal with
this year, and this species seems to have been.generally much less plentiful during 1997
than in the previous years. Dave Hillyard (Ace Pest Control) also reported fewer aerial
nests that needed treating during 1997; these were presumably mostly MedianWasps.
TomThomas treated four SaxonWasp nests, D. saxonica, in the Luton area during 1997
but I have no other records ofthe wasp this year.
Both the CommonWasp, Vespula vulgaris, and the GermanWasp, T(germanica, still
seem to be as common as ever within the county.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I should like to thank the following for sending me records:
~Almond, C. Baker,V.Arnold, B. Chambers, M. Chandler, N. Dawson,]. Green,
S. Hawkins, D. Hillyard, ~ Madgett, D. Manning, B. Nightingale, A. Smith,T. Thomas,
A.Vaughan-Jones,H.Winter and I.Woiwod.
Richard Revels is the Society's Recorder for Social Wasps, a position he has held
in an honorary capacity since 1994.
44