Hornets

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Hornets
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Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 5:02 pm Post subject: Hornets
Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be a lot more hornets around this yea? Last year I think I saw 2 but I'm in double figures already this year. I've just found one in older small boy's bedroom but at least it's loud buzzing gave it away as I walked through the door.

mousjoos

Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Posts: 1986
Location: VERY Sunny SW France

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 5:24 pm Post subject:
Saw a poster today warning of the "asiatic hornet" & its danger to bees. Had 2 come in the house looking for nest sites possibly, the other night.... splatted 1 with a work boot & told the other its fortune if it didnt leave directly. Nasty things

ksia

Joined: 17 May 2006
Posts: 2320
Location: Mayenne, France

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 7:33 pm Post subject:
Not more than usual so far (2 sightings). It might be worth following the flight of one (if practical) to see if you've got a nest nearby.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 8:34 pm Post subject:
Yes, rather a lot around here. Quite scary really as they are huge. They seem to go for the kids' caravan (toy shed) more than anything.

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 09 7:41 am Post subject:
I saw one the other day (not in my garden, I'm glad to say), it's probably the second or third I've seen in my entire life.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 09 8:16 am Post subject:
Seen a couple round my place so far this year. Are hornets really any worse than wasps or are they just bigger? Last edited by Jb on Mon Jun 18, 12 8:46 am; edited 1 time in total

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 09 1:24 pm Post subject:
I believe there are two species in Europe, and that the one you find in the North is nastier than the one you find in the South. The holiday cottage we stayed in in Spain a few years back had a nest in the attic and you could hear them buzzing very loudly on the other side of the ceiling when you were in the bath, which was a bit disconcerting.

Green Rosie

Joined: 13 May 2007
Posts: 10498
Location: Calvados, France

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 10:55 am Post subject:
I think we have a nest somewhere around as I've seen 3 more. I've tried following them but they either hang around or buzz off too quickly to follow

pricey

Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 1:30 pm Post subject:
Me and drewsephine just saw one whilst having a cuppa in the back garden, there are always a lot round here.

ksia

Joined: 17 May 2006
Posts: 2320
Location: Mayenne, France

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 1:55 pm Post subject:

Green Rosie wrote:

I think we have a nest somewhere around as I've seen 3 more. I've tried following them but they either hang around or buzz off too quickly to follow

Time to set up the wasp/hornet traps and buy one of those impressively big (and expensive) hornet sprays from Bricomarche/Gamme Vert/ etc.

If they buzz off in the same direction it might be worth having a little trek in the same direction. Carefully!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 3:07 pm Post subject:
horrid sting be careful

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 5:10 pm Post subject:
I think hornets are generally less inclined to sting than wasps, and their venom is not as strong, though they dose you with more. Could be of course that I was just told that as a kid to stop me panicing about them...

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 5:33 pm Post subject:

from personal of both hornet is a factor of ten nastier than wasp in toxic delivery ,might just be me (i have seen other folk's stings so maybe not )
we lived with hornets for a while they are fiesty little ladies who deserve respect ,i just checked my leg and i can still see the scars 9 years on ,my mate had some interesting scar tissue after 5 years ,the ones we shared a wood with in derbyshire had very necrotic toxin and short tempers
the southern european ones are a bit more relaxed ,dont ignore the warning headbutt

)and i have been told tropical ones are just wrong

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 5:51 pm Post subject:

We have them here every year. They nest in dead trees around here. We look forward to seeing the first queens in spring.

Sometimes they go off course and end up in the kitchen. All they want to do is get out, by buzzing the window. Just a glass and envelope, and we let them go.

Aren't they beautiful! They eat aphids, wax moth,so a beekeeper's friend, and other pests.

If you are easily scared, then yes, they buzz. They are protected in Germany now, because so many people killed them. Like people killed snakes in the UK in times past.
But we know better now, right? I think people like to have a 'scary' thing to attack.

Try www.vespa-crabro.de and press the union jack for English.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 09 6:30 pm Post subject:
not scary critters but very uncomfortable to misunderstand spitting cobras are scary critters to handle bulls needing tb tests are not scary critters to handle poison arrow frogs are scary critters to handle dangeroos dogs are not scarey critters to handle etc i respect hornets and have learnt to live with them

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