Wasps going crazy about my new Cedar

[Yamamomiji]

Dear forum members,

I have been lucky in acquiring an old cedar of someone who stopped Bonsai due to age.
It's a lovely, nearly 85 cm tall and healthy Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica glauca) which has found a new home in my garden.

However, since I got it 2 weeks ago, I have noticed a constant flow of wasps (either https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespula_germanica or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespula_vulgaris) around it.
First, I thought they may get some dew from the needles in the morning, but they are constantly buzzing around throughout the day. I have watched them and they inspect the needles, the bark, the top of the soil, under the pot - simply all around and then buzz of again.

I suspect that there is a hive nearby but I really cannot figure out by watching or contemplating why they are especially fond of the new cedar.
The larch standing 2 m next to it is rarely regarded as are other trees.

I have examined the tree but cannot find aphids or alike which me be the attraction with the honeydew - there are some ants here and there but nothing on the tree to spot.
Really clueless so I simply suspect the are attracted by the resin or some other fragrance of the tree especially while gathering supplies for the upcoming autumn here.
They do not bite the needles or bark (unlike the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamphiliidae I happen to find when getting the tree, but that's not certainly not related).

Any hints?
It's a bit annoying having a constant 5 - 10 wasps circling the tree but so long they are friendly and don't seem to harm the tree or me.
But still curious why it's the cedar only ... That might not be a specific Bonsai related question but I try to ask here first.

Thank you!

 

[JoeWilson]

Wasps, bees, and many other insects like to drink the water as it drains out from the bottom of pots. Wasps are generally interested in sap on coniferous trees as well; they love the pines in my yard. Unless you have a particularly aggressive variety or they're hurting the tree in some way, I would leave them alone. Wasps tend to be beneficial pollinators.

 

[stubmle]

Not sure if it's applicable in your case, but wasps are often attracted to sweet things, like fruit- or the honeydew produced by aphids. Ants are similar and lots of ant activity can be a sign of aphid infestation.
I don't see evidence of aphids in your pictures, but it might be something to check for.

 

[BrianBay9]

Most wasps are predators and patrol my trees looking for other bugs to eat. I would do a thorough search for other insects. If nothing, then let them patrol to keep it that way.

 

[Yamamomiji]

Thank you for your inputs so far.
They all sound reasonable.

I will have a detailed look tomorrow again for other bugs, etc. but kind of like the idea of a patrol to keep it safe or they just enjoy the view with a bit of resin!

I have not engaged with them and don't have a problem to let them do their thing as long as it keeps to this amount (however I prefer the bees and bumblebees in my lavender) and shape for my and the tree's health.

Will report if something changes or is discovered.

Something to add: as autumn is approaching, wasps' hives only last for a year so soon the bustling activity will be gone anyway. The spring will show if a new hive close by may get them a revisit.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Some plant resins are high in sugar, and also high in materials we don't fully understand, like sulfonated sugar-like molecules that for some reason can destroy diseases. It's great food if you know what you're looking for.
In some cases, certain types of sugar can make insects more frost resistant too.
Wasps can and will farm aphids like ants can, they're related to my knowledge.
But wasps also like to collect the wood by scraping the bark, so they can build nests.

Whatever it is, good that you're seeing wasps. I've heard Germany is fining people who kill them because the Germans got too good at eradicating them. Not sure if that was fake news or not, but I'm seeing fewer wasps this year too. Our grapevine used to be full of them.

 

[rockm]

Wasps hunt and kill other bugs. Scale is a particular target for them. Some scale insects produce honeydew. Take a closer look at your tree. Particularly the surface of the bark.

 

[Yamamomiji]

The culprits have been found: some nasty black aphids have gathered in the top.
Now at night with low temperatures already and my brightest torch I could identify them in the crotches.

Guess it took some days to get higher in number and so the wasps farmed them like ants (which seemed got late for the party).
Glad I could find them.

Got them a good dripping spray and now moved the tree to a shaded place for the next 2 days to avoid needle burn by the sun.
Thank you for the help so far.