[suziequeue]

We have just gone into our feed store (which we leave empty except for the kindling store over the summer) to set up for winter feeding etc.


It's been left undisturbed al summer and there are two birds nests (swallows I suspect) and three beautiful wasps nests - one the size of a football.


My questions are:


Should we remove the swallows nests or will they build on them again next year?


How do we remove the wasps nests without damaging them? I would quite like to mount the larger one in a glass case and put it in the bottom lavatory (the repository for these sort of things)

[lachlanandmarcus]

Can't advise on the wasps nests but the swallows nests seems to depend on the swallow. Some always seem to build a new nest, others always plump for an oldie.


I keep any of ours in good shape but remove the ones the clever swallows have built actually on the strip lights for safety reasons , Mind you no wonder that those ones raised 3 broods with that warmth in the horrid cold  spring :-DD


I keep the rest just cos they are in the stables and we are encouraging them to nest in there as one of their current other sites is due to be developed next year, so we have been enticing them year by year across to the stables.

[Fleecewife]

We usually remove old swallows nests as long as nothing else has moved in for the winter.  This is because if there are red mites or other parasites in there they will wait until spring then infest the new hatchlings.  Mostly our swallows prefer to start again each year, the only exception being when we had a really dry spring so there was no mud to build with so they re-used old ones and added straw.
 
For wasps nests, they are usually suspended from the top, unless the sides are touching something as well in which case they will adhere to that.  We have scraped them off with a paint scraper, very carefully because of course they are so delicate.  I have wondered if spraying them with hair spray would help or just make things worse.  You have to be very careful to lift them with flat hands, not poke through with your fingertips.  It's probably also a good idea to check there's no-one overwintering inside    (especially before putting it in the loo)
They are so beautifully constructed that it would be wonderful to prepare one in cross section - must be possible because I've seen them done like that.  Do send us a piccy of yours on display once you've done it 

[shygirl]

we have found the swallows/martins usually nest very close to our barn light so we knock it down and they rebuild it close by.
wasps nest usually knock down easily. they are very light and fragile though but quite lightly attached. amazing things!