What is it?

wasp ball

Is it the start of a wasp nest? Is a queen wasp in there somewhere? I took the picture last year just before this particular field was cut for hay.

Update: 2008 01 26

Thanks to Fanackerpan for giving me the answers I needed. Here are some links I found explaining further.

notexactlyrocketscience.wordpress.com have this – Mobs of Honeybees Suffocate Hornets to Death

Science news have Balls of Fire: Bees carefully cook invaders to death.

3 Responses to “What is it?”

  1. awkward Says:

    If anyone has any idea what is happening here, I’d love to know so please leave a message if you have the slightest guess.

  2. Fanackerpan Says:

    I think these are bees, not wasps. I have witnessed this before whilst walking my dog. In some species of bee ( asian) this is a method used to kill predatory hornets. The bees surround the hornet and move their wings very fast, building up heat to over 47 degrees celcius. This literally cooks the hornet to death.

  3. awkward Says:

    Thank you for your comment. It’s just what I needed. I’ve added an update with a couple of links to articles. thanks!

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