Wasps and Pollination
#1
Hello,
Can anyone tell me if red wasps pollinate flowers? I have some pumpkin plants whose blooms are about to open and there is a noticeable lack of bees. I have seen several red wasps flying around and am wondering if they can or will pollinate the female pumpkin flowers.
Can anyone tell me if red wasps pollinate flowers? I have some pumpkin plants whose blooms are about to open and there is a noticeable lack of bees. I have seen several red wasps flying around and am wondering if they can or will pollinate the female pumpkin flowers.
#2
Red Wasps
Hi Alie,
I've never seen or heard of a red wasp before. What zone/state are you in?
To answer your question, wasps are great pollinators, but I know nothing aobut red wasps and their habits. I'm assuming they will pollinate your pumpkins, but can't say for sure. Hopefully, someone else knows.
Gami
I've never seen or heard of a red wasp before. What zone/state are you in?
To answer your question, wasps are great pollinators, but I know nothing aobut red wasps and their habits. I'm assuming they will pollinate your pumpkins, but can't say for sure. Hopefully, someone else knows.
Gami
#4
Hi Alie,
Here's a site with photos of several wasps -
http://entowww.tamu.edu/images/insec.../c-tind14.html
The red wasp is also called a paper wasp. They will pollinate your flowers.
I have paper wasps, but they are black and they will attack you if you get near or bother their nests. I get stung about 4 times a year by those fellas. Do your red ones do that?
People don't like to kill "good" insects, but I don't consider this wasp to be a good insect when you have to run from them all the time. They make their nests in many places--under the eaves, in a shrub and even 3" off the ground in flowerbeds. You don't know they are there until you stick your hand in to pull a weed and they take after you. I now walk around with a can of wasp spray. We have several kinds of bees that can take over the pollination for them.
Gami
Here's a site with photos of several wasps -
http://entowww.tamu.edu/images/insec.../c-tind14.html
The red wasp is also called a paper wasp. They will pollinate your flowers.
I have paper wasps, but they are black and they will attack you if you get near or bother their nests. I get stung about 4 times a year by those fellas. Do your red ones do that?
People don't like to kill "good" insects, but I don't consider this wasp to be a good insect when you have to run from them all the time. They make their nests in many places--under the eaves, in a shrub and even 3" off the ground in flowerbeds. You don't know they are there until you stick your hand in to pull a weed and they take after you. I now walk around with a can of wasp spray. We have several kinds of bees that can take over the pollination for them.
Gami