What wasp is this?

[zulu Delta 534]

I am making the assumption that these are a wasp rather than some species of native bee, but I have no idea what type it is.
The nest has grown rapidly over the past two-three days under the eaves of a 2 story house and a bit hard to get to.
Any clues anyone?
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/02/1147.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/02/1148.jpg
The nest would be about 2 foot (60cm) long at the moment.
Regards
Glen

[justinc]

Glen, can you get closer pics of an insect? Wife thinks they are paper wasps but not sure until she gets a look at one. The nest sure looks like it.

JC

[zulu Delta 534]

I took these this afternoon from ground level with a telephoto and unfortunately this as close as I could/would get. The nest does definitely seem to be a paperish/ nylonish texture.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/02/1141.jpg
Being predominantly chicken when it comes to getting close to this many wasps on a ladder I think we will have to do with these ground up shots. Sorry.
Regards
Glen

[zulu Delta 534]

I thought a paper wasp nest was a bit like an upturned umbrella / mushroom shape. The insect looks similar, but then again a wasp to me is a wasp, but this nest is new to me.
Regards
Glen

[85 county]

At the back of my workshop we had new holes appear in the ground. After a week we had thousands of bee/wasps hanging around. actually watched them crawl into the holes. never bothered us. Small brown things no yellow.

[The ho har's]

You rang and asked us...that is a new one on us:(...hh suggested just baygon it:)...
sorry prob no help at all there..

Mr hh:angel:

[Bundalene]

Take care with that one, it looks a bit like it could be a European wasp. They don't only build in the ground.

We have several paper wasp types here and none of their nests look anything like that.

I have seen an European nest off a shed awning and although it was round, the fabric looked like that one.

Erich

[justinc]

Yes, actually meant mud dauber wasp but have to agree looks like european wasp. Quite aggressive and IIRC a notifiable pest in most areas. I would make a few phone calls in the morning:(

JC

[dullbird]

I dont think they look big enough to be a European wasp.

[tony66_au]

For what its worth most pest controller will charge under $200 to kill and remove something like that and you want to get onto it ASAP before it encroaches further INTO the wall.

I ignored on in my old place in Cockatoo and in one week it spread inside a wall about 3 feet, the buzzing got freaky in the house so I called a pestie and he ended up opening the wall.

$160 and a few cuppas and she was done.

Tony

[KarlB]

I'm with Erich on this. It looks very much like it could be a European Wasp nest. Though the insects look a little small but it is hard to tell.

Here is an image from the web:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/02/1140.jpg

The nests do not have to be spherical like this in an open situation.

Cheers
KarlB

[zulu Delta 534]

About as large as I can get it without too much pixellation.
They don't seem to have the tell tale yellow striping of the European one.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/02/1139.jpg
Perhaps if I simply name it hymenoptera waspeii Zulu Deltariae, some one will quick smart correct me and come up with the real thing!
Regards
Glen

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

not european wasps too small ( I know as I have been stung a couple of times form the ones around here)

Agree with paper wasps. plenty of nest variations in these pics..
wait until dark when they are asleep. get a squeeze sauce bottle filled with wasp power and climb up on ladder and squeeze the powder all over the nest entrances then leave. that will knock them.
paper wasp nest - Google Search (http://www.google.com.au/images?hl=en&xhr=t&q=paper+wasp+nest&cp=12&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=toZOTfCMNI_QcYyvzPsF&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDYQsAQwAQ&biw=1920&bih=998)

[barney]

does it really matter - just kill them!

[The ho har's]

on further inspecton of the nest..native bees. just put a smoke thingy up and all gone, thats what we have done in the past,;)

Mrs hh:angel:

[The ho har's]

does it really matter - just kill them!


OH the Greene's will be after you;):D

Mrs hh:angel:

[Chucaro]

Paper wasps are much bigger, about 30mm or more.
I got sting by one of them this week just over the elbow and 3 of my fingers got paralized for 3 minutes or so. Very painful sting !!
With a colony like the ones in your photos you have to be very careful, many stings can kill you by a reaction

Common Paper Wasp, Australian Paper Wasp - Polistes humilis
Family Vespidae

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10002/_AAP3685-2.jpg

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10002/_AAP0884.jpg

[Bundalene]

You are right, they do appear small in relation to the corrugated iron.



The only native bees I know of live in hollow logs.



Erich

[CraigE]

Looks like a native bee to me though the nest looks odd. As said does not look big enough to be a European Wasp as they are quite large. If you can get a decent photo get it to your state Ag department or DEC type organization and they will look into it. If it is European wasp it will need to be reported.

[Redback]

Well if you want to prove they are native bees (they look like paper wasps too me) put your hand in the nest, if they are native bees they won't sting, because native bees don't have a stinger, BUT, if your wrong:eek: it may hurt a lot AND if your allergic could be very dangerous:(

Oh if they are native bees leave them there and when they produce honey get into the nest and get it out, Mmmmmmmm YUM YUM, native honey is bloody beautiful:ohyes:

Baz.

[Bundalene]

These are one type of native bee. We get a similar bee here in Sydney and they are also in the Northern Territory where this pic was taken.

I know there are lots of different types of native bees.



Sorry about the image quality - just a point & shoot camera





http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/245/disc1082.jpg (http://img833.imageshack.us/i/disc1082.jpg/)




A cropped pic of the bees from the above pic



http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7079/disc10821.jpg (http://img823.imageshack.us/i/disc10821.jpg/)










Erich

[Don 130]

Ring up the Australian Museum, ask to speak to an entomologist and send in a photo. That way you'll get a positive ID and if it's a nasty one that needs exterminating, you can deal with it. Don.
ps just bfound this link where you can send an image for ID
http://australianmuseum.net.au/contact/scientific

[numpty]

I'm no expert.

There are quite a few species of paper wasps and they are definitely not European Wasps. Could be a native bee, but I reckon they are a variety of paper wasp and probably harmless.

If you feel the need to get rid of them, wait till late evening when they settle and spray the nest with any household insecticide. That should do the trick.

[Bearman]

Definitely not a native bee, looks like a wasp to me. I wouldn't be sticking my hand in there. As suggested I would contact an expert for identification on that one. Easy way to get rid of them if the identification come back bad is to wait until night when they are all at the nest, light a few rolled up pages of paper and apply to the nest area.

[Chucaro]

There are many types of native bees, the sting less in this image is about 4mm long.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/11/686.jpg

[KarlB]

What we clearly need is a decent picture of the beastie.

[Hall]

I`m for some one other than me volunteering to put there hand in the nest. :) So long as it filmed for you tube :) Hmm some sort of lottery perhaps?
Cheers Hall

[Bearman]

There are many types of native bees, the sting less in this image is about 4mm long.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/11/686.jpg

I'm no expert but there is a noticeable difference between the legs of wasps and bees. As seen in your close up of a native bee they have the pollen carrying sacs on their legs, wasps do not. Have a look at the legs on the ones Glen has pictured. Definitely not native bees. That is the body of a flying predator (and stinger).

[ugu80]

[QUOTE=numpty;1422383]I'm no expert.

I reckon they are a variety of paper wasp and probably harmless.



I have paper wasps near my garage. The sting I got last week would tend to disagree with this statement.

[Fish78]

Im not sure of the breed of the wasps, you could ask you local University, usually they love an excuse to get out of the office.

I had paper wasps in Qld, my chosen removal method was a tin of Fly spray and a lighter, Fly spray flame thrower lol, works very well.

[Bundalene]

You could always try this


YouTube - Exploding Wasp Nest





Erich

[PAT303]

Are they aggresive?.We used to have the big orange ones and the upturned umbrella ones back in the hunter valley and the orange ones,an inch and a half long things where harmless and never stung me even though they nested in my shed all the time.The upturned umbrella ones would attack without warning and the pain was like nothing else.I used to burn them bastards dead with a BBQ match and contact cleaner. Pat

[numpty]

[QUOTE=numpty;1422383]I'm no expert.

I reckon they are a variety of paper wasp and probably harmless.



I have paper wasps near my garage. The sting I got last week would tend to disagree with this statement.

But as I said, there are many varieties and like bees, I dont think they all sting.

[zulu Delta 534]

Spoke to the daughter today and apparently the bloke they called to eradicate the nest simply shrugged and said they were paper wasps and then did the job, so I guess that is as close as we will ever get to the answer.
The nest sure was an interesting type compared to the paper wasps that I am used to.
Regards
Glen