Interesting Wasp Nest

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy

You couldnt' pay me enough to do that job!

OTOH, my grandfather used to keep bees. He'd have hives and when servicing them would only wear face protection.
Not once was he ever stung.


A few years ago we had a beekeeper place a hive in our (urban) back yard. It is getting harder and harder to keep bees outside of my city with all of the chemicals in use on the monocrops that sprawl to the horizon; and some innovative beekeepers are putting hives in urban yards where the bees are both safer from those chemicals and can enjoy a more varied diet... He showed up at my house around dusk, uncovered and in plain clothes, and together we hoisted the hive out of his truck and carried it to its place in my yard. I am not sure I have ever taken more mindful steps in my life.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted by kschachn
Not all wasp species are the same either. The normal paper wasps are somewhat aggressive, the yellow jackets about the same. But then there are some like the bald faced hornets that go out of their way to attack, those are very dangerous if you happen on a large nest and they go after you. Those European hornets in the video look similar.


Then there are the tank-sized, tactically-coordinated, evil Godzilla hornets:

 

[wemay]

Very interesting and cool video. Thanks

 

[das_peikko]

Originally Posted by CT8
Drowning in a vacuum filled with soapy water any better?


You mean the guy in the video? I'm not sure I would've chose the same method. I probably would've tried to remove the nest without killing any of the wasps.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by das_peikko
You mean the guy in the video? I'm not sure I would've chose the same method. I probably would've tried to remove the nest without killing any of the wasps.

Any disruption of the nest including intact relocation will cause the death of all the insects. They will fly away and not be able to find the nest again. Even the queen will die eventually without workers to take care of her.

 

[das_peikko]

Originally Posted by kschachn
Any disruption of the nest including intact relocation will cause the death of all the insects. They will fly away and not be able to find the nest again.


I'm sure glad I'm not in the pest control business; I don't have the heart for it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by uc50ic4more
Then there are the tank-sized, tactically-coordinated, evil Godzilla hornets:



That's some crazy stuff in nature right there. They killed 30K honey bees so they could eat the larva in the honeycombs ...

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by uc50ic4more
Then there are the tank-sized, tactically-coordinated, evil Godzilla hornets:



That's some crazy stuff in nature right there. They killed 30K honey bees so they could eat the larva in the honeycombs ...

Those things are pretty much the most Savage example of predator in the historical record. Hard to top that kill ratio per predator/event.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Originally Posted by ragtoplvr
What I would like to know is how someone sawed that opening without getting stung.

Hornet anesthetic?

Never had hornet sting, had ground yellow wasp sting, that was enough for me.

Rod.


He has a full suit and hood, but still got nailed in the right eye.

The way wasps take to boats and RVs makes my work very disturbing at times. There is never a moment that Wasp Blaster is not around. Makes very short work of them.

The one thing I ***CANNOT*** wrap my head around is how ineffective carb cleaner is against these things. I've drowned them with it. They must be swallowing it and breathing it and all, but almost immediately recover, fly away, and then promptly return to continue being huge aholes.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted by Kira
I wonder what they (the wasps) do for the planet..

They are not native to New Zealand, but they are here. They do huge damage to our ecosystem. I have a nest in my cavity wall...it's late summer and they haven't woken up yet...maybe I killed them with some spray, maybe they will come out soon. I check the hole every day, I'm ready for the next step, but worried too.

 

[Brons2]

We have red wasps here, they are less aggressive than the wasps and yellowjackets they have up north.

But we also have africanized "killer" bees, for whatever that's worth.