# Anyone else keep Social Wasps in captivity?



## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

I know a few people in the USA do, but does anyone else keep them in the UK? I'm sure it isn't just me.
Thanks


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

:gasp: the mere thought of keeping wasps gives me the heebee geebees!:gasp:


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

wilkinss77 said:


> :gasp: the mere thought of keeping wasps gives me the heebee geebees!:gasp:


Haha, they give most people the heebee geebees. They are amazing to keep though.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

Never heard of people keeping pet wasps, can you tell us some more about them and put some pics up if you have any?


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

I'll take a few pictures of their setup and post them on here. Should take me about 5 mins. I'll explain how I keep them and how I made the setups once I have uploaded a few pics.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

Here is a picture of the full setup.










It consists of two tanks. The tank on top is turned upside down. I then used a thick piece of cardboard for the bottom. I then have another tank below this one, this serves as the nesting area and all the sides are covered up to prevent light from getting in. The wasp has access to the nesting area by a tunnel I created out of a cardboard tube.










As you can see, I have two small dishes. One with water mixed with honey, one with honey. They always need a supply of Honey and Water. I also have a large pice of wood so the Queen can collect the wood to make her nest.










I have also given her another location to build her nest. I stuck 3 pices of cardboard on two sides of the tank and the bottom of he tank. She has a small pice ofa cardboard tube to attach her nest to.

Any questions, please ask


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

So do you just capture a queen in spring when they start wandering around looking for nest sites?
Do all the wasps die off in autumn or do any survive over winter?

Sorry if this sounds silly but how do you get the honey and water into that upside down tank without all the wasps escaping :blush:


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

garlicpickle said:


> So do you just capture a queen in spring when they start wandering around looking for nest sites?
> Do all the wasps die off in autumn or do any survive over winter?
> 
> Sorry if this sounds silly but how do you get the honey and water into that upside down tank without all the wasps escaping :blush:


That is the easiest time to capture them, as there are no workers or drones around at that time. I normally capture my queens in early November, and then let them hibernate in captivity.

Nope, not a silly question at all. I wait until night time when they are asleep. Have to be careful not to make too many vibrations as a few workers will come to the entrance to investigate, and decide whether I am a threat or not. :2thumb:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I guess it would be possible to make a modified tank with a feeding hatch if you had some skill with glass cutting.

That's really interesting, I'm kind of tempted to look out for a queen wasp now :lol2:


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

garlicpickle said:


> I guess it would be possible to make a modified tank with a feeding hatch if you had some skill with glass cutting.
> 
> That's really interesting, I'm kind of tempted to look out for a queen wasp now :lol2:


Yep, that would be a good idea.

They are really awesome to keep. I currently have two queens hibernating.

Forgot to say, when the queens eggs hatch into grubs, you need to feed her protein to feed to the grubs. I just throw a few crickets in and she takes them down pretty quickly. When the workers hatch, they will take over and do the hunting.


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## RandomDan (Oct 11, 2009)

I think you should knock up a care guide telling how everything is done.
I doubt im the only one who is now interested in how it all works!


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

RandomDan said:


> I think you should knock up a care guide telling how everything is done.
> I doubt im the only one who is now interested in how it all works!


I will make a care guide. There is a good one that I found the other day though.

If anyone is interested in keeping wasps, here is a really good guide and care sheet. Here is the link: Wasp Caresheet


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

I'm so tempted to have a go at keeping them now :hmm:

Will have to keep them in my shed though, as my dad would kill me if he found them in the house :lol2:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I think all the buzzing noises would give it away Tyler :lol2:


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

Biggys said:


> I'm so tempted to have a go at keeping them now :hmm:
> 
> Will have to keep them in my shed though, as my dad would kill me if he found them in the house :lol2:


Haha, that would be fine. Also, when the workers hatch out, you can leave a gap in the tank so they can come and go as they please. That's what most people do if the nest gets too big.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

It would be quite cool to have the tank connected to the outside via some kind of tube somehow, so the nest would be in a tank indoors but the wasps could come and go.


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

garlicpickle said:


> I think all the buzzing noises would give it away Tyler :lol2:


I didn't think of that :blush:





VespulaVulgaris said:


> Haha, that would be fine. Also, when the workers hatch out, you can leave a gap in the tank so they can come and go as they please. That's what most people do if the nest gets too big.


I'm so trying this next year 



garlicpickle said:


> It would be quite cool to have the tank connected to the outside via some kind of tube somehow, so the nest would be in a tank indoors but the wasps could come and go.



That would be epic :gasp:


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## Harbinger (Dec 20, 2008)

I dont fancy keeping the normal wasps but i really want to try the solitary ones which capture roaches to breed, would also like to try velvet ants one day.


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## splottlands (Jul 3, 2009)

*Wasps*

Hey folks

I keep bees and I wouldnt be happy that some one nearby is keeping wasps as they can prey on a colony of honey bees.....

but each to their own I guess


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## MattsZoo (Oct 27, 2011)

This is so awesome! Loved reading this thread lol, now what should I do... It is November... :2thumb::whistling2:


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## Buzzlightyear (May 28, 2011)

My petshop sells wasp's 

I saw one in the window the other day !!!!

:whistling2::whistling2::whistling2:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

splottlands said:


> Hey folks
> 
> I keep bees and I wouldnt be happy that some one nearby is keeping wasps as they can prey on a colony of honey bees.....
> 
> but each to their own I guess


I'd love a bee hive, when i was a kid I went to a nature centre which had the hive indoors. It had a glass side so you could watch the bees doing their thing, it was against the wall of the building so the bees could get out through some kind of tunnel and then come and go normally.

I had my nose glued to the glass for ages :lol2:


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## luke0227 (May 18, 2010)

Just saw this thread an think your mad but im facinated to see how you gey on with it! Also im a roofer and this time of year i find atleast 2 3 queens hibernating a week so if anyone needs some im.sure i can grab them for ya!! Pm me if anyone wants some an ill let you know wen iv got them,


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## Animalmadness (Dec 8, 2009)

nice setup for the wasps, are they quite easy to keep ?


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

slightly on, but off topic, my mom had a wasps nest the size of a football in a bush in the garden, she left it there all summer and the wasps never bothered anyone, and i have a young sister who could have been stung.

it was really interesting going to the nest to have a peek. my stepdad took the nest down yesterday, but from reading this, i now have a question of whether there will be a queen hibernating inside, or whether it's totally abandoned, also, the nests are SO pretty close up, very colourful.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

kirsten said:


> slightly on, but off topic, my mom had a wasps nest the size of a football in a bush in the garden, she left it there all summer and the wasps never bothered anyone, and i have a young sister who could have been stung.
> 
> it was really interesting going to the nest to have a peek. my stepdad took the nest down yesterday, but from reading this, i now have a question of whether there will be a queen hibernating inside, or whether it's totally abandoned, also, the nests are SO pretty close up, very colourful.


Hi,

Most people assume Wasps will pester them, so as Soon as the find a nest the get it removed. They don't understand thet the Wasps won't bother them. 

There shouldn't be a Queen hibernating inside. It is quite rare, but sometimes you do have the odd queen who decides to overwinter in the nest. I had a nest in my garden this year, but mine was underground. There weren't any queens in mine. 

Yep, the nests do look really nice. Put some pics up if you have any :2thumb:


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2011)

After doing a little projects on a european Polistes sp. (I forget which one, it took place in portugal and they were one of the more common species there) I definately gained an appreciation for wasps. Check out arachnoboards, I know a few people have posted about keeping Polistes and similar.


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## amaterasu12 (May 1, 2011)

I'd never even though about keeping wasps, but I think it sounds fascinating and considering giving it a go myself...


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

amaterasu12 said:


> I'd never even though about keeping wasps, but I think it sounds fascinating and considering giving it a go myself...


Any questions, PM me and I'll answer them :2thumb:


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## Spider jake (Nov 6, 2011)

This sounds awsome ! i am going to be on the look out for a queen wasp now!!! my uncle is sure to have one in his roof he is always saying about how many wasps there are by him !


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## CtrlAltDel (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm pretty fascinated, have you ever been stung? I got stung once and hold a phobia ever since.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

you talking about yellow jackets like they have around here where i am?


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

Wasp Identification chart. Social and Solitary Wasp Guide.


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## spinnin_tom (Apr 20, 2011)

HABU said:


> image
> 
> you talking about yellow jackets like they have around here where i am?


 that's a hornet, no ?


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

spinnin_tom said:


> that's a hornet, no ?


a yellow jacket we call them... or meat bee...


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## spinnin_tom (Apr 20, 2011)

HABU said:


> a yellow jacket we call them... or meat bee...


meat bee; that's a good one !!


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

spinnin_tom said:


> meat bee; that's a good one !!


 
Yellow Jackets / meat bees


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## splottlands (Jul 3, 2009)

garlicpickle said:


> I'd love a bee hive, when i was a kid I went to a nature centre which had the hive indoors. It had a glass side so you could watch the bees doing their thing, it was against the wall of the building so the bees could get out through some kind of tunnel and then come and go normally.
> 
> I had my nose glued to the glass for ages :lol2:


sign up for classes atyour local beekeeping association


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

splottlands said:


> sign up for classes atyour local beekeeping association


I quite fancy it, but OH isn't too keen about having a bee hive in the garden


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

HABU said:


> image
> 
> you talking about yellow jackets like they have around here where i am?


Yep, vespula sp.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

spinnin_tom said:


> that's a hornet, no ?


No, it's not a hornet. The only true hornets are Vespa sp.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

CtrlAltDel said:


> I'm pretty fascinated, have you ever been stung? I got stung once and hold a phobia ever since.


I've been stung quite a few times. Wasp stings aren't too bad. A sting from a Bumble bee though... That hurts. A lot!


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