Brucey wrote:I think I'll stick with my earlier 'wasps are not terribly important pollinators' comment. I am a former beekeeper and even so I think the role of bees in pollination is somewhat overstated. In years when there have been few bees, other insects have stepped up. I think that if you see a late crop of (say raspberries) being pollinated by wasps as claimed in that link, it may well just mean that other insects won't go near it..... because it is covered in wasps.
cheers
As I current beekeeper I think at this time of year wasps are the spawn of the devil. If you think your picnic is tempting to them then just imagine what a hive full of honey is like. Every time I check the bees at the moment there are wasps desperately trying to get in and my girls are equally doing there best to keep them out. As a result the bees are getting very aggressive and I'm having to make sure I'm fully covered before venturing forth . Most of the year I don't worry about them at all.
Nothing against wasps earlier in the year- they do a great job collecting other insects to feed to the colony but now they've done their bit, the queens have grown up and flown off and they have no purpose in life any more. They're going to die soon, I just wish they did it a bit sooner.