Welcome Home?.....Nope!

  The greenhouse has been used twice already this year as a nesting site for the wrens.  Both times, the little ones were raised in relative safety and the brood even learned to fly within the walls of the building. Snakes, cats, coons or any other predator stayed far away from the little birds and the only monster that occasionally neared the nest was me.   Mama Wren soon learned that I meant no harm so her worries dwindled.  I loved having the birds as company and hope they continue to nest in the greenhouse for years to come.

  Now, however, there is a new species trying to use the building as housing.  Paper Wasps try incessantly to build their umbrella shaped nests on the rafters of the greenhouse.  These, I do not like.  While I usually leave the wasps to do their thing if elsewhere, when they are in such close proximity to my working area, I call a halt to their nest building efforts.  I was a few days late on the most recent attempt.  By the time I noticed the homesite, it was quite large and had a number of wasps clinging to it.  These worker wasps were already tending to the larvae that were growing inside some of the cells of the nest.  Some cells were actually already sealed over waiting for the larvae to change to wasps.

  The wasps were promptly exterminated and the nest removed.  I cannot have these aggressive critters hanging about my work space. The greenhouse can house birds but not wasps or any other critter that might harm someone.  Paper Wasp stings can cause severe problems in those allergic to their venom.  To others, like myself, the stings are painful but at least not life-threatening.  Goodbye, Wasps!  Do not make your nest in my greenhouse!