This is Paul Hawksby

And Andy Jake

And this is the H&J Daily

With some of the best bits of this afternoon show

With everything going on at Ali Pally

David Mnui yesterday

Killing a wasp that was on his face

We spoke to a wasp expert

And got definitive take on what's going on for the wass.

That's what you get on this show.

And just what, yeah, oh yeah. Oh, in debt. Just what lovable creatures they are in the eyes of this wasp specialist who's devoted to his life. Hi there, good afternoon. Well, let's start with the obvious question. Why is this happening? I mean, there's been various... At this time of year. at this time of year. So what's your theory as an expert in the field?

Yes, so the time of year. At this time of year. So what's your

theory as an expert in the field? Yeah, so the time of year is definitely the unusual thing here.

But so the colony life cycle of social wasps is that at the end of the year around November, December,

the majority of the wasps in the colony will die, all the workers, apart from the Virgin Queens, who will effectively go into hibernation over winter. They'll find out of the wastes in the colony will die, all the workers, apart from the virgin queens,

who will effectively go into hibernation over winter. They'll find somewhere nice and warm and cozy

to stay over winter. And likely the events happening at Ali Pally, the dance is very loud.

There's lots of bright lights, lots of heat. They're probably waking up those queens at a time where they think it's potentially spring. So that's that's waking them up and they're coming out and probably looking for some resources or some mates because they'll then mate in the spring usually. So they're trying to they're not trying to mate with the dance players, are they? Well, no, but they're probably very confused. You know, it's kind of if you went to sleep and somebody woke you up in the middle of the night and you don't really know what's going on. And the queens around this time, they're quite dopey, so they're not out to sting the players and they're probably quite unsure of what's happening. So you kind of have to feel bad for them, really.

Yeah, I was going to say that. I mean, it's affecting their life cycle as well, I guess.

Is it what happens to them once the circus leaves town?

Well, realistically, if these wasps that have woken up around this time, they'll probably

die before the spring.

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