Giant black fine ringed wasp

This isn’t the first time that we have had a succession of heatwaves or indeed been given the opportunity to see more varied and unusual wildlife. This is however the first time that I have ever either seen (whether it be in a reference book or in close proximity) a giant black fine ringed wasp.

The wasp family are a strange group of insects for usually the larger they are the more friendly they appear to be (fingers crossed). These large and would be gentle giants are mixing with the common varieties of wasps in my garden. There have been so many wasps, not quite a plague, but enough to become a nuisance that this is the first year for many a long time that I have had to resort to a wasp trap or two. This is something that is a last resort because I am of the belief that all creatures serve a useful purpose.

Wasps are not usually a threat until late August or September when they begin to get drunk on the fallen soft fruits. However, I have seen quite a few bees being taken cruelly down and their heads bitten off by these aggressive garden visitors so I decided to place a few wasp traps about ..

 

 

The Giant Black Fine Ringed Wasp appears to be approximately twice the size of the Common Wasp and the German Wasp (Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica)