Wasps + Pillar Restoration

[aprilmayjunebugs]

There's a weight bearing brick post outside my front door that's been cracked since before we moved in, and the owner is finally going to have it fixed. The whole thing has to be torn down and rebuilt, scaffolding, the works, and likely a couple day job. The problem is there's a wasp nest 4 feet away from where they will be working. I don't want to give the heads up to the property management Co because they'll just send someone to kill it with chemicals that I don't want anywhere around my house, but I also don't want to on the day they get here be like "Surprise! Hope no one's allergic or scared!" I guess I'm just wondering if I should even be worried about it.

 

[Hardus nameous]

Sounds like a legit concern to me if you don't want insecticides used. Mabye remove the nest yourself before work begins then?

 

[The Snark]

A major hassle but... I saw a similar situation where a curtain barrier was hung between a bee hive (swarm) and a cleaning project. Strung a rope then slid a tarp on down it.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Do you have easy access to the nest? You could knock it loose from its attachment point with a pole or something. Just get ready to run like hell. If the nest is on the ground, eventually the wasps will move out.

 

[ebld]

Do you have easy access to the nest? You could knock it loose from its attachment point with a pole or something. Just get ready to run like hell. If the nest is on the ground, eventually the wasps will move out.

But isn't it true that running does no good? They fly a lot faster, and they're not kidding.

 

[Introvertebrate]

But isn't it true that running does no good? They fly a lot faster, and they're not kidding.

They're totally kidding. They're mocking you as you run.

 

[ebld]

They're totally kidding. They're mocking you as you run.

Oh now I know where the evil giggling came from that one summer I got stung

 

[SpookySpooder]

They're totally kidding. They're mocking you as you run.

Haven't you noticed they fly in circles around you? They're literally circling you jeering and laughing, "we could get you any time, just give us a reason"

 

[Hardus nameous]

They don't mock or kid around when the Brakleen comes out, they just drop and die.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

The nest is not even that big because they (themselves I assume, I don't know what else it could've been) already tore down the old one and started rebuilding in the adjacent corner. I still have part of the old nest, I don't know why I saved it, but I did. It's kinda high up there, I could probably knock it down myself, but I'm not really inclined to do that because they don't bother me one bit. If someone else wants to then they can have at it, they don't seem to be particularly aggressive, but I don't know what's going to happen when the guys are up there banging around and invading their space. The company coming to do the job are chimney specialists, they do sweeping as well as building and repairs on brick work, so I would assume they're accustomed to dealing with a lot worse. I'm probably overreacting, but I think I'll just call the company myself beforehand and let them know.
Bonus, I have also seen and heard evidence of slugs and bats living in there, I'm debating if that's something I should even bring up.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

I have a fairly traumatizing bee story. Cuz why not, it's my thread and I'll derail it if I want to, lol.
When I was 11, living in an apartment complex, a friend of mine had some family staying over who brought their dog with them. We took him for a walk through the wooded area that we hung out at all the time. A big doofy Chocolate Lab mix, and for whatever reason I was holding the leash when he stepped on an underground Yellow Jacket nest. There I am, hair down to my buttcrack, wearing a t-shirt and stretch pants, covered in biting, stinging, angry bees. I didn't want to let go of the dog because he wasn't mine or familiar with the neighborhood, and Tiffany had already ran far away. When I finally had to let go of the leash, the dog (not as dumb as he looked) ran straight to the apartment his owners were staying, where they realized something was wrong and they could hear screaming coming from somewhere. My friend and I make back up to the street where damn near the entire population of the complex is waiting see what was going on. It's at this point I endured one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. Remember, I'm 11, on the verge of needing a training bra, unbeknownst to my single father. Anyways, during the chaos, he rips my shirt over my head, using it to attempt to beat the rest of the bees off my body, getting himself stung a couple times in the process. We didn't know if I was allergic or not, I'd only been stung once in my life, and to this day I don't even know if that actually happened because no one believed me then. So since my dad didn't have a car, the complex manager rushed us to the hospital where I had to be moved to different rooms twice because bees kept coming out of my hair. Long story short, I was fine except that I had a severe fear of anything that flies for a long time.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

They're totally kidding. They're mocking you as you run.

Funny I was watching neighbors try to kill a wasp nest with a trash can lid, priceless .. poor wasps ..

I have a fairly traumatizing bee story. Cuz why not, it's my thread and I'll derail it if I want to, lol.
When I was 11, living in an apartment complex, a friend of mine had some family staying over who brought their dog with them. We took him for a walk through the wooded area that we hung out at all the time. A big doofy Chocolate Lab mix, and for whatever reason I was holding the leash when he stepped on an underground Yellow Jacket nest. There I am, hair down to my buttcrack, wearing a t-shirt and stretch pants, covered in biting, stinging, angry bees. I didn't want to let go of the dog because he wasn't mine or familiar with the neighborhood, and Tiffany had already ran far away. When I finally had to let go of the leash, the dog (not as dumb as he looked) ran straight to the apartment his owners were staying, where they realized something was wrong and they could hear screaming coming from somewhere. My friend and I make back up to the street where damn near the entire population of the complex is waiting see what was going on. It's at this point I endured one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. Remember, I'm 11, on the verge of needing a training bra, unbeknownst to my single father. Anyways, during the chaos, he rips my shirt over my head, using it to attempt to beat the rest of the bees off my body, getting himself stung a couple times in the process. We didn't know if I was allergic or not, I'd only been stung once in my life, and to this day I don't even know if that actually happened because no one believed me then. So since my dad didn't have a car, the complex manager rushed us to the hospital where I had to be moved to different rooms twice because bees kept coming out of my hair. Long story short, I was fine except that I had a severe fear of anything that flies for a long time.

wow that dog teleported out of there , how may times did you get stung? Sounds traumatizing!!

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

wow that dog teleported out of there , how may times did you get stung? Sounds traumatizing!!

If my memory is correct, easily over a hundred. Yellow Jackets can sting multiple times and they bite as well.

 

[The Snark]

Yups. Clearing brush and cutting fire breaks, those machine gun like attacks are the #1 menace. And they give a bonus; they communicate with each other somehow. So as long as somebody is close to their nests in their attack trigger zone they will chase everyone near the nest for 50 feet or more. Not so fond memories trying to kick back in the evening still smarting from the stings and covered in poison oak rash.

The only remedy / protection I know of is if you happen to have a quick attack high pressure hose set of fog you can push them away but that is a little rare and you usually have other uses for the hose.

 

[SpookySpooder]

Yups. Clearing brush and cutting fire breaks, those machine gun like attacks are the #1 menace. And they give a bonus; they communicate with each other somehow. So as long as somebody is close to their nests in their attack trigger zone they will chase everyone near the nest for 50 feet or more. Not so fond memories trying to kick back in the evening still smarting from the stings and covered in poison oak rash.

The only remedy / protection I know of is if you happen to have a quick attack high pressure hose set of fog you can push them away but that is a little rare and you usually have other uses for the hose.

They communicate using pheromones. They also implant a special attack pheromone into whatever they sting that turns you into a beacon for other wasps to track down. Some species also use vibrations that they generate by beating their wings in a rhythmic pattern. Some wasp species tap their mandibles against the hive to signal the rest to come defend. I saw a documentary on it once. Insect hive communication is actually quite complex and a very interesting topic to delve into.

 

[The Snark]

@SpookySpooder Make sense. When they get triggered the first few out of the nest attack the triggering person then as more came out they range around looking for other intruders in the general area.
We once had a group of around 30 campers. One person got near the nest and within 30 to 45 seconds they all came under attack. They ran and the attack continued on them all until nobody was within about 50 feet of the nest. So some synergistic effect was activating the entire nest in that broad area fashion.
I just happened to be in a truck about 20 feet from the nest, rolled up the windows and got a full live action demonstration.

They animals were only identified in the Vespa family.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

If my memory is correct, easily over a hundred. Yellow Jackets can sting multiple times and they bite as well.

Yeah burrowing wasps are a nightmare to run into in massive numbers .

@SpookySpooder Make sense. When they get triggered the first few out of the nest attack the triggering person then as more came out they range around looking for other intruders in the general area.
We once had a group of around 30 campers. One person got near the nest and within 30 to 45 seconds they all came under attack. They ran and the attack continued on them all until nobody was within about 50 feet of the nest. So some synergistic effect was activating the entire nest in that broad area fashion.
I just happened to be in a truck about 20 feet from the nest, rolled up the windows and got a full live action demonstration.

They animals were only identified in the Vespa family.

wow that’s insane so many people attacked by wasps or bees ? Good time to be in a truck .

 

[SpookySpooder]

Indeed... the perfect moment and position to observe the coordination of attack/defense instincts of a remarkable order of insect.

I have to wonder, is there a school/class within the hive/nest where individuals are taught to respond to these signals, or is it deeply ingrained instinct that evolved over time?

 

[The Snark]

individuals are taught to respond to these signals, or is it deeply ingrained instinct that evolved over time?

Instinct in the genus, refined in the individual species, born of genetics and evolution, modified by environment.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Dammit people, that story was supposed to be funny!