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Actually, this is the second part of my previous post which is here!
I removed the nest on Saturday, the 6th December, '14. Have a look:
Actually, this is the second part of my previous post which is here!
I removed the nest on Saturday, the 6th December, '14. Have a look:
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| Clicked a picture before removing from the wood. |
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| I kept a cloth on the floor so that it doesn't break. But it broke near the hole and fell down in two pieces...Amazing nest! |
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| Only one broke away from the main nest when it fell down. You can notice a small worm inside and IT WAS MOVING! |
We can see around 11 tubes here. They look like glass tubes. I was noticing the wasp (which you can see in my previous post) hovering near the nest for many days. After I took the picture last time, I noticed it just once or twice. Then it stopped coming. On Thursday, I saw a small wasp roaming inside the kitchen. It was in smaller size than the first one. So I thought that they have come out! Still I left another 2 days and then on Saturday, removed the nest with a ladle (dosai thiruppi!). The angle where the nest was, made it difficult to sit and ply it out without much damage. The nest fell on the cloth and I was really amazed at the precision with which the insect had built her nest. Even space between them. The tubes sat in it snugly! It didn't come out of the nest when it fell down. It must be sticking with the mud wall! And I noticed worms inside the tubes and this worm was moving! Only this tube had fallen away from the main nest. Still the worm was intact inside the tube! I was a bit upset for disturbing the mother's hard work. I think at least a couple of wasps might survive. I just folded the towel with the nest and kept it inside a drawer in the kitchen which I don't pull out often. Saw it now, after two days, opening the towel slowly. No movements. Some gap is there for them to come out if they want to. I didn't see the mother for many days now. These worms should come out and survive by themselves, I think! She had done a great job!
The wood where the nest was, in tact. Just some mud stain is there. These insects seem to be harmless. 'Kulavi kottum', they say in Tamil. 'Wasp's sting' is very painful, it seems. But our wasp is a harmless doll!
I am sure some of you might be interested in this article. I feel that if they don't harm us in any way, we should leave them alone. Let them survive!
P.S.: I don't have small kids at home! So, I let them enjoy our house!
18 comments :
Thanks for the update. It is your home. You do what is best for you and your family.
SG: Thanks for the prompt comment, SG!
This is not helping my family in any way but this is an experience for all of us! Even such a small insect is so intelligent!
Actually, I was expecting the kulavi to bite me when it was hovering near me! And when I took out its nest! No, nothing happened, thank god!
Good you removed it.
K.PARTHASARATHY: My relatives also are of the same opinion, hahaha!
Yes , we do feel bad to harm anything, but sometimes we have to do it.
Take care. Don't take it lightly, for when attacked it is our job to defend ourselves just as they do to defend themselves. It is al right nothing bad has happened, now instead of keeping it inside your house you can take it safely to some place outside and leave it.
Is there a choice except for removing it?
I too feel that if some thing is not troubling us we must not disturb it..let everyone live..
RAMA ANANTH: Keeping it in the balcony shelf now!
I know! I was just curious to see their life style. I am checking on them to see when they are going to fly away! Thank you, Rama!
BK CHOWLA: Hahaha...They are in the balcony paper shelf now!
RENU: I checked on them today morning and the worm is still alive. I think their food is inside the tube itself! God's creation!
The nest you have described so beautifully has been constructed with such precision.This one of the myriad miracles of nature !
The nest is amazing - such a small insect, building such a big nest, with such precision.
Destination Infinity
Read both the posts on the kulavi. I have been stung many many times by the kulavis when we were in Jabalpur. That city could take the title of the city of wasps! So many of them -- the yellow ones sting terribly hard and it takes days for the pain to go away. Good to know that yours are harmless.
BTW, kulavis are supposed to bring any worm and turn them into wasps by constant stinging. They don't lay eggs or hatch them it seems. Maybe you could do some research to confirm this :D :D That is why too, when someone tries to poison another's mind by constantly talking against them is said to 'kulavi maadhiri kotti kotti keduthutta' :D
RAMAKRISHNAN RAMANATHAN: I am astonished at the way she built her nest, packed all the worms/eggs inside and flew away! I haven't seen her for many days now! And the worms are alive inside the tubes! Great!
DESTINATION INFINITY: I hadn't seen her bringing any mud in her mouth. she must have done it when I was not here. Now, she is gone! Really amazing!
ZEPHYR: I have heard about 'kulavi kottum' but no previous experience. I was expecting this one to harm me in the beginning. But it was just flying here and there, even near me, but didn't do anything. Wiki has got nearly the same wasp's photo. Thank god, I was able to take the picture of its nest and its inside. Isn't it beautiful?
Maamiyaar solvaalo, kulavi maadiri kotti kotti keduththuttannu?
Thanks for the beautiful comment, Zephyr!
Wow, what an amazing nest. Personally I am very scared of wasps and even harmless insects. But we have a few of them in our terrace garden and we let them be.
Thank God you removed it Sandhya !
But from another angle, this whole nest business is so interesting - the way these small insects build them with such precision and patience.
I am wary of wasps - had a stinging bite when I was young and it goes a long way :)
How kind to let them survive? They look like bullet shells :)
Last week a wasp bit our pet dog and she suffered a lot for few hours.
Refer your comment on my post on Rosewood furniture.Thank you Sandhya. It is actually a new house about one and half years. The flooring tiles were specially sourced from Athangudi in Chettinad. They are hand made tiles.These tiles are seldom used these days. Please see my post: The Magic of Athangudi Tiles at : http://sankriti.blogspot.in/2011/09/magic-of-athangudi-tiles.html
RACHNA: Well, let them be if they are harmless, Rachna. This world is for all of us.
UMSREFLECTIONS: No, I don't have the bitter experience of its bite. Only mosquito bits. Hope I won't have in the future too! The mother wasp came hovering in the kitchen today. Then went out!
JEEVAN: She hasn't bitten me or my son or husband or maid until now. Hope she doesn't!
RAMAKRISHNAN RAMANATHAN: I visited your post and saw the pictures of hand made tiles. They are lovely. I should have read your post 1 1/2 years back. I could have used them in our flat. Thank you!
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