First recorded

In a location that you monitor regularly (at least once a week), record the first time you see a live, active queen wasp outdoors.

The queen is the first wasp you’ll see in early spring from late February, when she searches for a nesting site.

Queen wasps can be spotted in late summer/early autumn, as they leave their nests in search of mates and a place to hibernate, however these late summer queens should not be recorded as they do not indicate spring emergence.

Available historic data: we have good records from 1900-1936 and 1970-1999