Bees

...is it just me, or are the bees here insanely aggressive atm?! For reference, I live in NW London (Harrow-ish)

We've had three bees in the house in the past few days alone, every time I take out the trash they're swarming it (and I've seen it in other trash cans as well), they've been bumping against our windows when they're closed, and one literally just landed on my arm within 2 minutes of me leaving the house today.

Anyone else dealing with this? I know they can get aggressive at the end of the season but I've never noticed anything like this before, nor has my husband.

...is it just me, or are the bees here insanely aggressive atm?! For reference, I live in NW London (Harrow-ish)

We've had three bees in the house in the past few days alone, every time I take out the trash they're swarming it (and I've seen it in other trash cans as well), they've been bumping against our windows when they're closed, and one literally just landed on my arm within 2 minutes of me leaving the house today.

Anyone else dealing with this? I know they can get aggressive at the end of the season but I've never noticed anything like this before, nor has my husband.

If they are swarming the trash, you are likely looking at wasps, not bees! Bees tend to stick to flowers. 

If they are swarming the trash, you are likely looking at wasps, not bees! Bees tend to stick to flowers. 

Yep this. Yellow jackets are wasps! And they are very aggressive.

I've yet to encounter an aggressive bee in my garden. They are super happy with the flowers I added.

Ahh I just looked up the difference and you're both right -- they're wasps! I've never had this experience anywhere that I've lived... hopefully they calm down when fall begins

It happens every year at this time.  Something like the normal foraging sourcing have all finished so they have nothing to do until winter starts.

I was feeling traumatised yesterday when a wasp got stuck in my sunglasses when I was out cycling and I was sure I was going to get stung , luckily I was able to pull off my glasses before it went for me. However, I now feel lucky, because one of my coworkers got stung by a wasp yesterday when she was out on her bike and she has a huge red welt on her neck today.   Mean things!!!

I was in a pub garden the other day and a guy put some sugar water in a saucer and attracted every wasp.  Nobody was bothered after that.

Wasps are horribly aggressive.  I had a few once grace my flat in the US and I swear they were consciously trying to sting me.  None of this self defense stuff; they actively going after me despite me giving them a wide berth.

We should be nearing the end of spider season too.   

I saw quite a few ladybirds in the garden yesterday. 

I saw quite a few ladybirds in the garden yesterday. 

I need a couple in my house, silly aphids don't want to go away!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Yeah, the aphids are getting really old!

The other afternoon when I was making jerky I had four or five what I thought were bees come in the window and hang out obsessively by the dehydrator's exit port. I have never seen that before, but they were definitely in there for the jerky. Now reading the other stuff above, I'm wondering if they might have been wasps? Was able to convince them to land on some paper, which was then shaken out the window. (And the windows all closed.)

It was very odd.

... wasps? Was able to convince them to land on some paper, which was then shaken out the window. (And the windows all closed.)

It was very odd.

How did you convince them to land on some paper?  Like... what? I am definitely missing a trick, here.

I'm in NW London and, last year, our wasps didn't quit until about November. The various bees are quite dopey and lovely, though.

Spider season is only just beginning though. They are heading indoors to take cover for the cold weather. Time to gather all the leggy bois and deliver the annual 'you stay over there, we won't have any problems' discussion.

I have a touch of arachnophobia, but we have a cute hunter-killer spider named Fred who has kept our flat relatively mosquito-free during the summer for the last few years.