Paper wasps

[beenthere]

Just noticed a paper wasp nest being built in a yard tree about 6' off the ground. Snapped a pic today after noticing some amazing build progress in just a few hours. They can lay down material real fast. The entry hole at the bottom is about 3/4", and the nest about 7" diam.



 

I'll plan on taking another pic tomorrow to compare progress.

[Paul_H]

Can you get a inside pic?  :P

[beenthere]

 :D :D :D :D

[doctorb]

What's your next move?

[Magicman]

Running, if he get's too close.   ;D

[Cypressstump]

Some guys I knew once found a nest such as that while fishing in a local bayou. It was fairly cold on a fall morning. Said the nest was empty cause they whacked it a couple times to make sure, nothing came out. Took the nest and part of the limb it was attached to , was going to hang it in the den. After fishing, they placed the nest in the truck back seat for the ride home. As the trucks' interior warmed up, so did the hornets, they can out in a tizzy, and commandeered the truck for a couple hours. After hearing the story, I would have loved to been able to have captured that on film.

[Chuck White]

Bees...... Just about the only thing that can make an old phart run!  ;D

[sandhills]

Chuck I had a cow that could to, she went to Burger King last week  ;D.

[wdtik]

Oh yea-- a Red Neck pinata--- :D
I can remember wacking a nest the size of a basketball
with a stick on a dare--- my misspent youth......roped a skunk the same summer
too.... then there were the buzzworms...

[WH_Conley]

I'm not sure we want to hear the rest. Yes we do. Tell us about the buzzworms.

[thecfarm]

Roped a skunk? I hope you kept him going in the right directions.  :D I might of thrown a few rocks at one before.

[chain]

We always called those "hornet's nests" , home of the 'bald-faced' hornet. A notoriously fierce wasp with bald yellow-black face, alien appearing to me.

[clww]

My neighbor had one of those nests in a small fruit tree near his garden this year. I sprayed it all down a week ago with wasp spray. The next morning, something had torn the nest all apart during the previous night.

[beenthere]

We always called those "hornet's nests" , home of the 'bald-faced' hornet. A notoriously fierce wasp with bald yellow-black face, alien appearing to me.

I believe that you are right. I got a closer look at them today, and they are as you describe and as shown in some google work.
Here is a long video (I think maybe some repeating loops) but does show a very similar nest. A guy put a camera on a pole and then threw a rock at the nest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yVouNUGekc

Here is a pic today of the additional material built around the nest (at least another layer).


 

[chain]

Looking at those devils just makes my skin crawl!

Back in the day, when kids had only slingshots to get in mischief with, when a hornet nest was found everyone would shoot a stone with their slingshot at the nest then run. It was always said that the one who ran straight and fastest away from the nest got nailed first. But... if you twisted and dodged, you also got nailed by more than one hornet. :D

Bumble bees are the very worst in stinging, I think.

[Den Socling]

I've never been stung by a bumble bee. They must not be very aggressive.

[thurlow]

It was always said that the one who ran straight and fastest away from the nest got nailed first. But... if you twisted and dodged, you also got nailed by more than one hornet. :D

Bumble bees are the very worst in stinging, I think.

My granddad usta say that you could shoot into a hornet's nest with a .22 rifle and they would track the flight of the bullet.....backwards....to sting you.   8)  When we used to clip several hundred acres of pasture each Summer with open station tractors,  you could be sure to mow over a nest or 3 of bumblebees;  I've had them follow me completely around a 10 acre pasture, but it seemed that the noise or constant motion would confuse them and if you didn't dodge or swing, they'd seldom sting.  I've been stung and bit by every stinging/biting insect in my part of the world;  very worst pain was a Hymenoptera wasp;  it HURT!!!! Next most painful was probably ground-nesting yellow jackets, followed by hornets, bumblebees and various other wasps and bees.

[Cypressstump]

as a little pup, I used to have my spoon and bucket close at hand at all times I guess.Digging in everything. My dad bought a bunch of fruit trees once, left them outside for a while. The burlaped root bundles seemed to be likely spots for me to burrow into. Until the yellowjackets came pouring out onto me. Some reason I don't remember much directly afterwards, my screams brought my Mom and oldest sister running. They swatted the things much as they could then got the water hose on me to finish washing them off. I swoll up like the Pillsbury Boy, but red with spots all over. I had over 80 stings they said. I firmly believe that is whats wrong with me today.

[beenthere]

Another picture late today to show the progress in 24 hours. They completed the shell down to their entry, , nearly finished another, and have half completed yet another shell (layer) today. They are busy.


 

[doctorb]

That video makes me want to either get rid of that nest, or never go near it again until January.

[mooleycow]

keep the amonia bottle handy.  helps with the pain of stings, nothing else though.  benadryl and a bronchodialator may work until you get to the ER. 

[Ron Scott]

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,59812.0.html

[beenthere]

I'm still watching, and hoping I can keep from annoying this nest. So far, so good.
Another pic a short while ago shows yesterday's layer was finished down to the entry hole, another one nearly completed, and yet another started mostly on the upper back side.
Interesting that the entry hole is to the northwest. But when our northwest winds blow, they are prolly in hibernation. The nest won't stay around that long. I'm plotting its demise, and thinking the 12ga at about 10 yards would do the most damage. Shoot and run!!


 

[WDH]

We definitely need something more exciting than that  :D.

Have you got any grenades  ??? ;D.

[Texas Ranger]

Wait till it freezes, you can out run them then.  8)

[WH_Conley]

Flame Thrower. ;D

[Patty]

Awesome photos Beenthere! Be careful.

This reminds me of when my brother and I decided to destroy a big bumblebee colony in our barn. I was around 10 and he 7 years old at the time.We armed ourselves with wooden lathes about 3' long and proceeded to dig out and slap at the nest with our "swords". Big mistake. (who'da thought  : )     A swarm of those bees came flying out of the nest so fast we could barely react. We ran down the center isle of the barn as fast as we could go, bees stinging us like crazy. Of course at the entrance to the barn my dad kept the doors open to allow a breeze, and strung up electric fence to keep the cows in. I crawled over pretty fast, but my poor brother got tangled up in the fence. So there he was ... angry bees swarming over him stinging like crazy while getting shocked with the electric fence. Of course big sister rescued him and he lived to tell the story to our mom.  :   It is a wonder we live through our child hoods isn't it.

[Chuck White]

A badminton racket works better than a stick!

Bigger surface area and "square" bees can't fly!  ;D

[Riggs]

Ithinking the 12ga at about 10 yards would do the most damage. Shoot and run!!

Little closer than 10 yards, more like 10 feet, there will be nothing left. I took one out a week or so ago in an azalea bush. No need to run. For really big nests, two shots, get the bottom half with the first shot, top half with the second.

[OneWithWood]

I have this pile of sand left over from the foundation work on the saw barn addition.  It is riddled with 2" holes.  One of the guys from the city said he saw a number of really big bees entering and exiting the pile.  Form his description it sound like what we have always called bull hornets.
Anyone know anything about these bees/hornets?
I think I won't be going anywhere near that pile until the first hard freeze 

[Cypressstump]

One of the guys from the city said he saw a number of really big bees entering and exiting the pile.  Form his description it sound like what we have always called bull hornets.

Onewithwood,,, you might outghta roust them bees up and take a picture of them so we can see what they are,,,, better yet, have someone video you rousting them bees up for us...... : :

[WDH]

You don't "roust" bees  :D.  That is not a good plan.

[Cypressstump]

You don't "roust" bees  :D.  That is not a good plan.

Been a while since I've seen someone leading the pack on a herd of bees.............. :

[chain]

Beenthere...please..do not destroy that beautiful creation! Those hornet's nest have value in nature stores, gunshops, gunshows etc. they are truly considered a 'trophy', I have a couple nests hanging around the cabin. Just wait until freezing weather comes they will all leave or die out, the trick is to not damage the nest when taking it down.

[OneWithWood]

You don't "roust" bees  :D.  That is not a good plan.

Been a while since I've seen someone leading the pack on a herd of bees.............. :

...and it will be an eternity before you see me trying to outrun 'rousted' bees.   :D

[beenthere]

Chain
I should put it up for sale?  Craigslist or eBay?  Maybe a requirement that I won't ship it, and they need to pick it up ?    Will pass on the suggestion that they will first need to be "rousted".  ;D

Late yesterday pic showing more progress. About doubled in size in a week.


 

[Raider Bill]

Duck Dynasty had a episode about the Boys trying to capture one of these nests. Quite funny. They used or tried to use a shop vac running off a generator.

[Cypressstump]

That nest is a work of natures art !

I have taken one down during winter once, way too long ago, when I was in jr high school. We cut the limb gently,,,, VERY gently  ;) and placed the nest inside two large plastic garbage bags. Sprayed a bunch of Black Flag bug spray inside the bag , taped it up and brought it inside the shop to warm up. Them hornets went nuts for a while, and died off fairly quickly. Few days later took out the nest without any live critters to sting.
I brought it to school for a science project and it stayed there longer then I did, thankfully.! When I left for high school it was still in the science building.

I imagine a nature center of sorts would love to have one for display.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, also with the great pictures documenting its habitat location and building growth.

[Cypressstump]

Yes, also with the great pictures documenting its habitat location and building growth.

An also include the video of the guy running feverishly, you know the unlucky soul who 'rousted' that nest...... :D

[doctorb]

How far is the nest from where you live or commonly work or play?  Are the hornets bothering you in any way, except by their potential for harm?  If they aren't, I'd tackle them in winter, if it was my butt on the line.   Saving the nest is nice, but I look at it as a secondary bonus to ridding yourself of those hornets.

[JohnW]

The nest is not permanent.  It's just a summer thing.  Check out the article in wikipedia.  They say gone by winter.  I'd bet they will be gone by the end of the month.  We have some of those around here.  Most nests I find are empty.

[beenthere]

The nest is about 25' from our entry door, but the only inconvenience will be mowing the lawn under it. It is about 6-7' off the ground. I placed a sign to warn that it is there.

I get about 5' to it for pics.
Here is this afternoon's pic, with yet another layer being added and yesterday's layer nearly closed on the entry.


 

[chain]

Over the years, we've had a number of woodsy individuals that roam the forests for oddities of nature. Recently, some go through the woods on horseback seeking ginseng, mushrooms, rocks, rattlesnakes [rattler skins and rattlers really big at Rondevous] and many collect the hornet nests.

[beenthere]

Nearly finished yesterdays' layer and another started on the back side.
No increase in activity when I am around the nest. But then I don't get closer than about 5' either.


 

[Sprucegum]

Those kind of nests are common in our woods, the bears love'm and rip into every one they find. In the early summer I usually whack 3 or 4 around the camp. I try to get them as soon as they are started - only one bee to contend with then.

One day when you are taking a photo a bee will fly right in your face but not sting you. That's your warning you are in their territory, make any moves or noise and he will call out the troops...

[beenthere]

The layers continue, at about one per day.
I have daily pics, but will just post the one from yesterday. Also, found a second nest near my walnut field. Stirred them up a couple weeks ago picking boulders out with my FEL, and thought it was a ground nest. But yesterday noticed a paper hanging nest of the bald-head hornets. I may try out the shotgun blast on that one, to see how/if it works.


 

[submarinesailor]

I may try out the shotgun blast on that one, to see how/if it works.

I use #9 bird shot from about 15 yards.  3 shots, turn and walk away very slowly.....that's if they aren't after you. :D :D :D ;D ;D ;D

Bruce

[Texas Ranger]

Hope you're fast on your feet, or have a really tight choke.

[doctorb]

If it's hanging in a tree that's accessible, I might shoot that one from my truck and roll up the window afterwards so I could watch.

[beenthere]

Doc, you and I are thinking alike.... 8)

[Burlkraft]

I've been tellin' ya wait til dark and soak that nest with Brakekleen

Problem solved!

You just ain't got nuthin' else to do but mess with them bees!!  :D :D :D

Wanna write a resume'?  :D :D

[beenthere]

 :D :D :D
But......  I have the shotgun and shells, but would hafta go get the brakekleen.   

Have two nests, so may try both.   ;)

[WDH]

Don't shoot the little maple  .