Most people dread wasps appearing and the threat of being stung, perhaps this is why to most people they have been seen as an omen of misfortune. The wasp though is the gardener's friend as they attack all the destructive insects which prevent a bountiful harvest. Wasps process the bark from tress or wooden posts and breakdown the wood to pulp. The wood is mixed with saliva to make a pulp which is used to build the nest. It is said that man gained an insight into how to produce paper by examining this process.

WEASEL
Almost universally seen as an animal of ill omen. Perhaps this is because the weasel has long been associated with witchcraft and darker forces. It was once believed that witches could transform into the weasel and that in centre parts of Europe this was the reason why it was virtually impossible to catch one asleep. The squeaking was also believed to indicate that negative energies were at work and that it was a sign of death being imminent if heard near a house to someone in the family.

To have a weasel run across in front of you was a sign of misfortune to come in some rural communities in Europe, whilst in England (UK) the sight of a white weasel was a sign of imminent disaster believing that tricks were being played, and it was a time to trust no-one.

WHALE
The whale or orca has in many cultures been believed to be a highly intelligent creature and a positive omen having evolved a brain comparable in size to ours 30 million years ago. Now it is a creature threatened with extinction despite the fact that the sound of the whale has been carried by Voyager I and II together with the sounds of humans to sample the sounds of earth.

One exception to this was considered to be the sudden appearance of a whale in an area of sea not normally associated with whale schools. This was thought to indicate the arrival of problems not just for a family but often for a community and therefore this event was treated as a powerful omen. The killing of whales in some countries has been banned, and although the reasons for this action do not directly relate to tradition it is interesting to note that it has long been thought that the killing would ensure that disaster will befall the person and community that continues to ignore the power of these creatures.

WHEATEAR
See Mystical WWW : Mystical Birds.

WOODPECKER
See Mystical WWW : Mystical Birds Introduction.

WOLF
Generally believed to be a wild creature that indicates misfortune to come, the wolf has been hunted, driven to extinction in England and parts of mainland Europe where once wolves roamed the woods freely.

There are a few exceptions to the rule. In France it was once believed that to wear a wolf's tooth around the neck would protect the wearer from dark forces, whilst in Canada it has been revered by certain North American First Nation peoples and thought to enthuse power to the wearer if a picture of a wolf is worn.

Saying the word 'wolf' in many European countries during the month of December was thought to be a sign of ill-omen and thought also to be an encouragement to the animal to attack the person or village. Perhaps this was because this would traditionally be the hardest month of the year when wild creatures would be driven to extreme lengths to catch food with natural food stocks being lower.

WORM
Most gardeners are extremely happy to see long juicy worms in the soil as they provide much needed aeration encouraging healthy plant growth.

A traditional North of England (UK) belief tells that worms could be used to indicate whether or not a person would recover from an illness. When on the way to visit a sick person a simple action would provide you with all the information you wanted to know. You were advised to peer under a stone and see if there was a worm underneath it. If there was a worm it was believed that the person was soon to recover, but the lack of such a creature provided no hope for the inquirer.

The name 'worm' has often been given to infamous dragons (See Mystical WWW Mystic's Menagerie : Dragon).

WREN
See Mystical WWW : Mystical Birds.