Waspish

Hmm, "waspish", an adjective, readily expressing anger or irritation.

So, a tiny creature which feels threatened by a larger one and defends itself is labelled as the aggressor and the problem. How very dare it interrupt a picnic! Humans, eh?

OK, I will admit that I don't come out of this squeaky clean, as keeping said insect in a plastic pot in a fridge full of food for three days could be seen as psychological torture. In my defence, there were no jam sandwiches involved, and the pot was stored between a couple of jars: one of tartare sauce and one of caramelised carrot chutney.

But yes, I have remembered that I needed to identify the wasp rescued from the back of my jumper at the weekend. Even without an ID guide, there are plenty of online resources to help with the task, and I used The Big Wasp Survey and Steven Falk's photographic guide to Vespidae, as well as something a bit more old school - an article by the county recorder in the 2021 Orkney Field Club Bulletin (thanks, JC).

Retrieving the wasp from the frigid atmosphere of the cold cabinet, the insect began to stir almost immediately with the warmth of the room. I took it outside and placed it on a wooden container (for strawberries, but shhh, don't tell the wasp!) whilst I took some photos.

This individual has a short face with a distinct anchor mark.

There are four yellow spots at the rear of the thorax.

These two facts mean that this is Vespula vulgaris, the Common Wasp, although in Orkney, whilst it is common in population centres, it is scarce elsewhere in the county. Indeed, when we lived in Orphir, in a more rural situation, this species was not the one we saw most often.

By the time I had downloaded the photos and checked the online and local guides, the wasp had warmed up and left the premises. Hopefully it will find some over-ripe rose hips in the neighbouring gardens and have an overdue sugar rush.

Next Summer, it would seem appropriate that a little of the fruit from the strawberry patch is saved until the Autumn (possibly in jam form) to cater for the delectation of a wasp or two.