Pat 'Gracie' Merewether 11 May 2007

joan warburton 11 May 2007

I've had encounters with hornets several times. They manage to get in the house, from outside, and no one can find the nest. I'm in the market for an excorcist if you know a good one. :(

Gary Glass 11 May 2007

Joans correct it looks like a wasp/hornet, most likely a yellowjacket variety

Gary Glass 11 May 2007

Here is some info you might find helpful.. the Giant Hornet is similar to the Yellowsjacket in appearance but is much bigger..

Giant Hornet, also called the European Hornet, Vespa crabo germana. The giant hornet is our largest hornet, reaching lengths of 1 1/8." It is very similar in appearance to the smaller yellowjacket. The European Hornet is not a native insect, but was introduced to the United States in the 1800s. Giant hornets often build their nests in enclosed spaces, such as hollow trees, animal burrows, and wall voids in buildings. Hornets are not as common around homes as paper wasps and yellowjackets, preferring to make their nests in forests, meadows, and rural areas.

Just for the record Killer Bees look very much as the european bees we have here in the United States but they are much more aggresive in behavior and in defending/stinging hence the reputation they have. but to look at them side by side they look very similar..

Pat 'Gracie' Merewether 11 May 2007

Thanks, Gary. I've never seen one like it around here before - but we have State wildlife habitat all around us, so maybe I won't see any more!

I told him to go home and to tell his friends that I released him "this time" but don't come back. Hope it works. =]

He was interesting to photograph tho - even if the camera was a little shakey.

Melissa Bond 11 May 2007

Oh Jeebus, I am scared to death of those things.

Leigh Karchner 11 May 2007

I tried to get some shots of the bees here when all the buds were opening on the trees and bushes. Those little buggars are mean! They kept buzzing around my face and trying to intimidate me. I really couldn't get close enough to get any good shots of them. They also don't like but for a second or so at a time.

We have huge bubble bees here for some reason. I have a real fear of getting near them. I stepped on one as a kid and it caused my foot to swell so large on the bottom that I couldn't put my toes or heel down flat.... it tooks almost two weeks to go down. I seem to have a higher than normal reaction to bee stings for some reason so I try to stay clear of them. They are beautiful creatures though, no matter how mean they are.

Can I post this here?? Bee Pee = BP Gasoline.... AW pulled my post about it but I think he is so cute and so well done.... artistically speaking of course, since this has to be about art. LOL!

Pat 'Gracie' Merewether 11 May 2007

I missed that one, Leigh - funny.

I'm not usually bothered by gardening around honey bees or bumble bees - but I don't get too close either. But the thing I took the photo of was like a yellow-jacket-bumble=bee on steroids - yikes!

I did get a shot of this butterfly on my lilacs this morning - a little tamer.

Jacqueline Bishop 11 May 2007

Gracie,

that is a bald faced hornet or bald face yellow jacket,and you do need to be careful around them they are very protective of their nest.

VICKI 12 May 2007

VICKI 12 May 2007

Love those photos Leigh..Guess you and Denny are all settled in..Do you miss Florida at all? right now it is so smoky here...staying indoors in the a/c..More photos!

Leigh Karchner 12 May 2007

Hi Vicki. Yes, we do miss certain things about Florida. There were tons of state parks to visit, lots of aquatic wildlife that I miss photographing and the beaches mostly. Things we don't miss is the horrible traffic, the heat, and high tax on most stuff (7.5%). We like it here OK but there aren't as many things to do without traveling away from home for a ways.

But our home there is leased (and sold in 2-3 years) and that leaves us with options to relocate whenever we are ready. We would like to be out west eventuall y so Denny can be near the western art scene.

Sunsets in Florida are high on the list of things we both miss.....

RQ Trietsch 12 May 2007

Well here in So Cal, I would say the 1st shot was of a wood bore (bumble-bee type). The 2nd one is what we call a "mud dog"...aka tranatula killer. The second is not friendly whereas the borer is just destructive.

Pat 'Gracie' Merewether 12 May 2007

I think J has the right one - I was told by a neighbor today that they are called 'white=faced hornets' here. NOT nice at all and very aggressive.

One thing Im curious about - the guy working on the house did not look well at all. I asked him if he was ok and he told me that he'd had some dental surgery and had a lot of health problems. I'm really worried about him and suggested he stop in at an ER or clinic on the way home. I don't know if he did, but I wonder, since I've never seen these hornets around before and they seemed to bother only him, if the hornets didn't sense he wasn't well and came after him? I know it's a weird thought.

Gary Glass 12 May 2007

They were actually alien anal probes disguised as wasp ;)

Jacqueline Bishop 13 May 2007

Gracie,

here is some info on them and their nest.

www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/baldfaced/baldfaced2.htm

Terri Lloyd 13 May 2007

Not a killer bee, but a killer photo of the wasp/hornet.

Jenny gilleland 15 May 2007

hi we had a few Bees a work last week here they are..

15 May 2007

Pat 'Gracie' Merewether 15 May 2007

Thanks Teri!

J, yep that's the ones. Scary. I haven't seen any since my poor sickly handy-guy left. I think he's a lot sicker than he's admitting - I haven't heard from him since Friday - I do hope he's ok. (his name is Hank, and he's such a sweet guy - had a rough life so far).