BEE-ware, this story really does have a nasty sting to it!When Woodbridge pensioners Ray and Daphne Jacobs peeked in their attic recently they were confronted with this enormous wasp's nest.
BEE-ware, this story really does have a nasty sting to it!
When Woodbridge pensioners Ray and Daphne Jacobs peeked in their attic recently they were confronted with this enormous wasp's nest.
Around 5,000 wasps were coming to and from the nest, which weighed a hefty 4lbs and 1oz, and was threatening to take over the loft of the Jacobs' bungalow in Through Duncan's.
The couple had noticed wasps flying around their home throughout summer, but neither of them thought much of it until Mr Jacobs, 75, made a trip to the attic and came face-to-face with the gigantic nest.
Mrs Jacobs, 74, said: “We couldn't believe it. It filled me with horror that there were that many wasps there.
“We're both from the county and so we're used to nests but never in our lifetimes have we seen anything that big.
“During the summer we had seen wasps each day outside the window but that was nothing new so we didn't think that much about it.
“When we got the odd one or two indoors my husband went to lift some tiles off the front of the house but there wasn't anything there.
“It wasn't until the guy came to service the boiler that my husband thought he had better go to the loft because the boiler is up there.
“When he opened the loft he said the wasps came out like snow.
“He moved some suitcases and found this massive nest attached to two rafters.
“It was so big - it looked like it was made out of papier-mâché!”
The couple, who have two children and six grandchildren, then called in an expert from Suffolk Coastal District Council who came the next day.
The wasps didn't go away straight afterwards however and eventually Mr Jacobs, who used to work as a carpenter, cut it down.
Mrs Jacobs, who used to run a shop in Woodbridge, said: “I really hope they don't come back.
“We'll be keeping the nest as a souvenir though.”
Have you faced an unusual infestation in your home? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.
Wasps
There are two types of wasp commonly found in Britain, the common wasp and the German wasp. Both species are almost identical to look at
All worker wasps die out during the winter, the only wasps that survive are the queen wasps
Queen wasps hibernate during the winter inside the old nest or construct a small hibernation cell
Between April and June the queen wasp will leave the old nest or hibernation cell and begin the construction of a new nest in a new location
The old nest or hibernation cells are never used again
Nests are mostly made out of a mixture of chewed wood and wasp saliva.
Queen wasps will often start to build their nests in roof voids, wall cavities or in outbuildings
SOURCE: www.trapawasp.co.uk
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