Crop: Tydeman's Early Worcester

I decided to start picking the Tydeman's Early Worcester, even though I'd have preferred to leave a little longer, and hope for a little more sun but the wasps were starting to cause damage, having already nibbled small holes out of the ripest ones. I left the ones that really didn't want to break off, I hope they'll survive intact until I get back from Wales in a week or so. About 1.5 kg picked today.

Wasps

I've never really had any problems with wasps before, largely because I watch my fruit ripening like a hawk and whip it off the moment I think it's ready (or just before). Consequently the wasps have rarely had an opportunity. In fact, I was struck that numbers were unusually low in 2008 and 2007.

Having had to leave fruit ripening on the tree while I was away, they have now reappeared in swarm proportions with a vengeance. I'm sure there will be complaints if I don't do something, as this tree is dropping wasp-covered fruit on the pavement. They are extremely efficient at eating whole fruits, sometimes excavating away leaving just the skin like a deflated balloon.

I managed to pick about a kilo of Morettini today before giving up. I don't have a great fear of wasps, having been covered by them many time while picking blackberries very early in my youth and never stung, but the risk of grasping one while picking was too great. I returned after dark tonight to clear up fallen/rotten ones, and pick the remainder of the crop. Even so, quite a few wasps were still crawling around, still inebriated from gorging on the fruit.