I was doing some cull flagging yesterday and when I turned around to look at my work I was surprised to see this right about at breast height on the back of the last tree. :o
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/PaperWasp1.JPG)
I am glad it was cool out and they were moving slow. Big black wasps.
Around here they say "If the bees nest low then we won't get much snow" . So it should be good going this winter. I can't recall seeing a nest low like this before. Usually they are in the ground or hanging off a branch higher up.
Looks like the bald-faced hornet nest.
Last year, I had three of them nearby. One about 3 ft off the ground (knocked it down with my bucket when digging some rocks as I didn't see it until the hornets flew out), another in a maple tree near the house about 10' up (watched it for weeks building the nest larger), and then another near my shed about 5' off the ground that I didn't see until the leaves were off.
This year, haven't seen a one yet.
I saw one about 40' up in a pine the other day so I hope what you say about the snow isn't true lol
I cannot recall ever seeing one on the tree trunk itself, they've always been built in the limbs. Great picture! :)
That would have scared me to death, after the fact, because I'm allergic to the stings. :o
Y'all are lucky down there! For us, the hornet's nests and what-not are about 15 feet plus in the air! Needless to say, we're expecting A LOT of snow! :(
Maine Logger88, I'm next door to you (New Brunswick). Brace yourself, my friend!
I don't know if I believe this kind of stuff forecasts the winter conditions. Although I would much rather have a nice - old-fashioned snowy winter - like last year, instead of one without snow. I spent a lot of time clearing snow, but I loved snow since I was a kid. May be I just have not grown up yet.
My granddaddy usta say that you could shoot into a hornet's nest with a .22 rifle and they would follow the track of the bullet back to you............... ;D
Quote from: thurlow on September 26, 2014, 01:04:40 PM
My granddaddy usta say that you could shoot into a hornet's nest with a .22 rifle and they would follow the track of the bullet back to you............... ;D
You know what? I remember hearing that too!
We had 2 Hornet nests at the cabin a couple months ago.
One was less than 20 feet from the front door on a sapling less than 3 foot high. I waited until dark and lit it up with some torch fuel.
I didn't get them all but most of them were toasted. A few buzzed me while I stayed close with lighter fluid. I kept the ground burning while they were falling. Then a few days later I got lit up while up by the mill. I had just cut a bunch of wood to be split and laid the chainsaw down on an outside workbench I have and thought to myself this thing is at the perfect height for sharpening. The hive was directly beneath the saw and I hadn't seen it. Went to get my file and started. Then my left arm was on fire from all the stings. It happened so fast I thought the muffler got me before I realized what was happening. I ran by the bench and snagged the saw a few hours later. They're probably still there. ::)
???
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11412/SBflagging.jpg)
:o
:D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11412/SBnest2.jpg)
Sorry but those guys were just too close :o
Hey Sprucebunny (and anybody else with a hornet/wasp problem): Get yourself a squirt bottle, spray bottle, or one of those pump bottles to spray your lawn with, and fill it with a mixture of Ivory Liquid and water, roughly 2 tbls per liter or more if you're a little jittery about it (ONLY Ivory Liquid WILL WORK!!!). Spray/squirt the buggers and they will be dead before they hit the ground, I guarantee!
Quote from: thurlow on September 26, 2014, 01:04:40 PM
My granddaddy usta say that you could shoot into a hornet's nest with a .22 rifle and they would follow the track of the bullet back to you............... ;D
This is totally accurate. Hornets track air disturbances from foreign objects for defense. I Threw a rock into a nest from 50 feet away, jumped in truck and watched them swarm my windows. I was trapped for 30 minutes.
Also nest height depends on species, like beenthere said these are bald face hornets, they build low usually no higher than breast heighth.
Mikey