The solution to the riddle: hungry larvae
When the black and yellow tabby, powerful predatory insects busily fly in and out through small openings in the plaster of the house or on window frames, it can certainly cause concern. Not only that the spiked wasps can get pretty uncomfortable - you also don't see what they're doing behind the facade. Do they destroy the building structure to a considerable extent and possibly make expensive renovations necessary? If dubious gnawing and scratching noises can also be heard behind the facade, that naturally encourages such worries.
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- How wasps spend the spring
- How wasps can be driven away in masonry
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However, you can rest assured that these noises do not come from the wasps' construction activities. They usually collect building material outside from rotten or slightly weathered tree branches and fence posts. Sealing material and lacquered wood paneling of window frames are unsuitable for them as a base material.
Rather, the troublemakers are the larvae who, like other hungry young animals, beg for food. To do this, they rub against their brood cells from the inside and draw the workers' attention to themselves. The adult wasps also naturally make noises when they pass food in the nest. So no need to worry.
To note:
- Scratching noises do not indicate nest-building activity of the wasps and possible structural damage
- Sounds come from hungry larvae begging for food
- Adult wasps also make noises when passing through the nest
What you should do anyway
Even if the noises of the wasps do not represent an acute danger, certain precautions for the care of the walls and roller shutter boxes make sense - but only after the wasp state has been orphaned. Before doing this, you should try not to mess with the tough animals.
In the fall, when the wasps have died and left the nest, you should expose and examine the site if possible. A roller shutter box can usually be opened easily. As a rule, you will not find any significant damage, but it is advisable to remove the nest just for the functionality of the roller shutter. In addition, the area should be cleaned of familiar smells that attract other conspecifics and any cracks in the facade used for access should be closed.
