Paphos Life

Normally there are a lot of wasps in my area which is a feast for the bee-eaters every spring and autumn, not so this year...

this chappy was waiting quite a time on the wire, looking innocent...


... but then he decided to catch bees instead of wasps


and having a wash



Max

Lovely phots, as usual, thank you Max.
I was sure there was a wasp nest nearby, due to the number of wasps in my pool - which was worrying because my swimming buddy is allergic to their stings. However, with so many fields and scrubland in this valley, not much hope of finding it. Unlike ants, they never seemed to make a line back to the nest. But then my neighbour's water softener went wrong and the engineer discovered a wasp nest in the outlet pipe! Since then, very few wasps.

I have had to get rid of three wasps nest so far this year. They have all been hidden in bushes. The secret is to remove them at night, when wasps are unable to fly.

NB: this technique does not work for hornets.

I will send the bee-eaters in your area then. Yesterday morning I had at least 50 of them, waiting to catch wasps, hornets and bees, but had enough after 10 minutes with no insects around and left in one go...

Max

I haven't seen any bee-eaters yet, I'm looking forward to that.

But I have plenty of wasps they can have. For a couple of weeks I had around 30-40 at time trying to drink out of my pool, so much so I couldn't use the ladder. When at home I kept going to check the pool so I could rescue the drowning ones (I did put more floaty things in to help them, but I still unfortunately fished out quite a few dead ones). So I was wondering when the bee-eaters would arrive to reduce the number of wasps for me (if they're going to die, it's better they're food for the birds rather than just die in the pool).

There were only around 10 wasps when I went in the pool yesterday though, not sure why.

Interestingly, yesterday there was one wasp walking along the pool noodle when a hornet attacked it, picked it up and then dropped it in the water. I've never seen that behaviour before (though then again, I'm not usually watching that closely).

When you scoop out the floating insects, try to always empty the net in the same place. That way, the little lizards and skinks soon learn where their food delivery is! Then your dead insects are not wasted at all.

I am actually quite fond of the hornets. It is as if they have nothing to prove, so just get on with their life around me.

Hornets are much less irascible than wasps - possibly because they are so much bigger?

PW in Polemi wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:55 pm When you scoop out the floating insects, try to always empty the net in the same place. That way, the little lizards and skinks soon learn where their food delivery is! Then your dead insects are not wasted at all.

I like that idea, thanks Kay!

Ams wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2019 12:28 pm

PW in Polemi wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:55 pm When you scoop out the floating insects, try to always empty the net in the same place. That way, the little lizards and skinks soon learn where their food delivery is! Then your dead insects are not wasted at all.

I like that idea, thanks Kay!

My little lizard who lives in rocks near where I empty the net, is not so little now!

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2019 4:41 pm

PW in Polemi wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2019 7:10 amHornets are much less irascible than wasps - possibly because they are so much bigger?

I am told their sting is really venomous too and best avoided.

Yes, I understand that too, Lloyd. Fortunately, they seem less keen to use it than wasps...

Ams wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:17 pm I haven't seen any bee-eaters yet, I'm looking forward to that.

I wonder if there are bee-eaters now in your area. They appear every morning and afternoon where I live, but stay only minutes as there are no insects to catch, but it looks like that they are already on the way leaving Cyprus for the Winter as they are already 4 weeks around here..




Max

cyprusmax47 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2019 9:03 am

Ams wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:17 pm I haven't seen any bee-eaters yet, I'm looking forward to that.

I wonder if there are bee-eaters now in your area. They appear every morning and afternoon where I live, but stay only minutes as there are no insects to catch, but it looks like that they are already on the way leaving Cyprus for the Winter as they are already 4 weeks around here..

Max

Hi Max. Yes, I have seen (and heard!) quite a few now around my house in Anarita over the last week, though less than usual, and generally it's been flocks passing over rather than birds sitting on the wires over my garden. My pool wasps disappeared just before the bee eaters arrived.

But then, I am at work all day so maybe it was bad timing and they visited my garden when I was not at home.

I am hoping I will see more, before they leave to continue on their journey.