What on earth is this insect
Last post 16-09-2009 10:16 AM by Nick Hudd. 21 replies.
-
30/05/2009 02:35 PM
|
|
- Nick Hudd
- Tenterden, Kent
- 29 Nov 2004
-
39
|
Well thanks to everyone for replies. My picture does not, of course, make the size clear - I just grabbed the digital camera and snapped. Should have put something identifiable down beside it to give scale. It was significantly bigger than a large wasp, and noticeably more orange than yellow in stripes. I hope we don't get too many of them!
Nick
******************************
Dr Nick Hudd, Tenterden, Kent.
nphudd@cantab.net
|
-
|
26/06/2009 01:38 PM
|
|
- Alix
- Bristol
- 19 Dec 2008
-
47
|
I've seen a nest of hornets and they are so big that you cant mistake them. There are loads of different types of wasps it looks like a wasp - try your local zoo if you really want to know. I've lived most of my life outdoors and it still amazes me that every summer there are insects I have never seen before. Last year I found a giant hawk moth caterpillar and I just couldn't believe the size of it! I wouldn't worry about it anyway - they normally only sting you if aggravated and, as said above, may well be a useful predator and get rid of loads of aphids for you. Very sad for Richard the dog I admit - was this nest close to the house? They can be dodgy in that case and if you have kids or a dog that may go poking the nest its probably best to get the council to remove it. AS FOR SPIDERS THEY ARE EVIL ALIENS KEEP AWAY!! Thats the excuse I use for running away and screaming whenever I see one. By the way - the hornets nest was at Westonbirt Arboretum and it was the most fascinating thing to see. They buzzed around us alot but didnt bother us as we were not scared of them. We didnt go too close so as not to threaten them and it was one of the most interesting features of our visit. They were what I can only describe as articulated in a pronounced way and had very long stings and were huge.
|
-
|
27/06/2009 07:22 PM
|
|
- Nick Hudd
- Tenterden, Kent
- 29 Nov 2004
-
39
|
It was much bigger than any wasp I ever saw, Alix. I am pretty sure it must have been a hornet - they certainly are seen round here, others have told me, and, today, I have actually seen one at the Golf Club - much bigger than a wasp or bee. I still regret I did not put anything in the photo to show size, but I had to grab the shot when I could
Nick
******************************
Dr Nick Hudd, Tenterden, Kent.
nphudd@cantab.net
|
-
|
29/06/2009 10:29 PM
|
|
- MC_Emily
- Lincs / Notts border
- 20 Apr 2009
-
9
|
One of my German Shepherds could be solely responsible for the decline in Bumble Bees.....he eats them whole!!!  I wish he wouldn't do it because I love bees....Bumble, Honey, Masonry or otherwise. He doesn't seem to be bothered by them at all. Maybe if one stung him he might think again !!!
|
-
|
29/06/2009 10:51 PM
|
|
- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
-
4,743
|
When Richard was attacked the swarm was living in the back garden quite a distance from the house, probablt they were africanised killers or something, I don't really like to kill anything but we lit them up real good, I agree spiders are mingers though. MC_Emily my labrador assistance dog Sally tries to catch bumblebees and she has caught a few, I have the anti histamine tablets in the house just in case she gets stung, one sting could kill a dog so it's always better to be careful, at the moment we have a bumblebee nest in one of the stables where mac lives, each morning they buzz around OH and she gets scared of them but I try to tell her they won't sting her unless they have to, they buzz in and out all day without bothering the horse or me, they live in the cavity wall, they have a small crack where they get in and out right underneath the haynets, they must fly up to my lottie to get their honey making ingredients.
digger 
|
-
|
13/09/2009 11:20 PM
|
|
- Sparedoor
- Stortford
- 12 Sep 2009
-
1
|
Was at Wisley this Saturday (12th Sept '09) for the Open Gardens and as we were looking at some butterflies on the blooms overhanging the path along the lower carp ponds, a large hornet felled one of the Red Admirals in an extremely swift and surprisingly violent attack. It had stung it into immobility and torn a wing off within seconds of the first strike. I have several close-up photos, but have not yet downlaoded them from the camera to the laptop at the time of writing. Several years ago I had a queen hornet in my conservatory. It had become trapped indoors and was visibly angry by the time we 'met'. As it turned from the window toward me, simultaneously and swiftly dropping on a straight trajectory for my face (they can go for eyes apparently), I took advantage of a sudden, incredibly timely and massively generous burst of adrenaline and legged it in the opposite direction at about a zillion miles per hour. It's the only time in my life when each hair on the back of my neck and head has stood to perfect and rigid attention - and it took a while to be rid of that 'jellied' feeling afterward. A great hit in some ways.
Otherwise, a beautiful creature.
|
-
|
16/09/2009 10:16 AM
|
|
- Nick Hudd
- Tenterden, Kent
- 29 Nov 2004
-
39
|
Thanks Sparedoor. I said in an earlier message that I ought to have put something in the photo to give scale (but didn't really have time). It was certainly much heftier than the very large wasps we see around now - a real corker!
Nick
******************************
Dr Nick Hudd, Tenterden, Kent.
nphudd@cantab.net
|