Beware of (News)paper Wasps

[Cooking Goddess]

Just as usual, Himself went to get the newspaper from the box at the curb just before he was ready to eat breakfast. Sets the paper on the table in the sun room, and I reach in to sneak out next week's grocery ad. Besides the ad, two wasps fly out into the room! Then, when trying to shoo them out through the door another one joins them. *sigh* Right now he's still in the sun room sipping coffee and waiting to attack. I'm heading out to grocery shop, hoping he isn't allergic to wasp bites.

Moral of the story: check your papers and mail for wasps, bees, spiders - any unwanted critters - before you bring it in.

 

[Dawgluver]

I hear ya, CG. Every year, paper wasps love to start a nest in our newspaper box too. Thankfully, they're pretty mellow and much nicer than the evil hornets we get around the apple tree.

Sparrows and wrens also enjoy our paper box, and love to cram it full of nesting twigs. And I have to put ant bait in our mailbox. That seems to be the biggest problem for us, bringing in ants with the mail.

 

[GotGarlic]

I'd forgotten about newspaper boxes. We had them in Michigan where I grew up, but the paper here is thrown onto our front porch.

 

[Cheryl J]

I turn into a ninja when I see a wasp nearby but I know they're good for keeping the littler bugs and other critters down. I was both fascinated and grossed out the first time I saw wasps attack and eat the tomato hornworms off of my plants.

 

[Dawgluver]

Isn't that fascinating, to see the cocoons on the hornworms, Cheryl? I'm of the snatch and stomp action unless I see the white things on the nasty beasties.

 

[Cheryl J]

I've seen wasps attack and suck up the hornworms to nothing, but haven't seen their eggs on them. I've seen pics of it online, though. Eww. Those nasty hornworms deserve it. lol

 

[Dawgluver]

Cool! I've never seen a wasp eat the hornworms, Cheryl, it's always eggs and cocoons sticking out of them after the fact.

 

[Steve Kroll]

People still get their news in paper form? I thought that had gone the way of the town crier and carrier pigeon.

 

[Hoot]

Mrs Hoot looks at me sideways when I find a paper wasp nest.
She knows that I am prone to retrieve it when is is full of larvae.
Stir fry!