Ground hornets

[Jed]

Have you guys noticed that they (bees, hornets, wasps) are nowhere near as prevalent this year?

We're in the East Puget Sound area, and last year, the Bald Faced Hornets where so bad that very few guys in our shop made it through the summer without getting bit. This year, no one's been bitten. No one's even SEEN a Bald Faced Hornet.

 

[Al Smith]

They found out a species of wasp will help eradicate the EAB .These tiny wasps which are supposidely non violent can sniff the bugs out long before any other means of detection .First tried in Michigan and now since imported to Ohio .

Too late to stop the killing of 80 percent of the ash trees but possibley keeping the varmit in check should it decide to attack other trees .Species is cerceris wasp .

 

[woodworkingboy]

The big wasps have a lot of energy. Posted from the web:


What is VAAM Hornet Juice?

VAAM (Vespa Amino Acid Mixture) is a unique sports drink that takes a scientific approach to sports and fitness. It is based on the same nutrient system used by giant hornets that have an amazing endurance and can fly 100 km (62 miles) in a day. The secret? Metabolism of fat. VAAM utilizes reserves of body fat into energy.

This Energy Source is Found in
Japanese Giant Hornets' Stomach

Giant hornets known as Vespa Mandarina Japonica, with bodies no bigger than 5cm, can fly 100km in a single day at 20 miles per hour. This would be the equivalent of a human running over two full marathons. This is especially remarkable considering they weigh about 2 grams, making them one of the heaviest of all flying insects.

Unlike bees, which feast on pollen, adult hornets eat other insects and then they chew the meat into a ball. They carry their feed back to the nest which adds another gram to their weight. (The secret to this remarkable stamina is a nutrient liquid produced by hornet larvae.)



Because of their constricted trunks, adult hornets can't eat their catch. Instead, the hornets feed these 'meatballs' to their young larvae. Then in a new twist on nursing, the larvae then regurgitate a clear liquid, which the adult hornets drink. This liquid or "hornet juice" is the source of the hornet's strength that gives them enough energy to fly 100km per day.

VAAM was discovered by Japanese biochemist Dr. Takashi Abe. Abe and other researchers have been studying the wasp species to find out what gave them their long lasting endurance. After isolating the energy source of the hornet as an acidic juice found in the hornets' stomachs they discovered that an optimum combination of 17 amino acids — the primary ingredients in this ‘hornet juice’ can produce large amounts of energy. This great secret of nature combined with research into the physiology of exercise has resulted in the development of VAAM (Patent #2518692).

The researchers started testing it on lab animals then on human athletes. They found that the elixir had astonishing powers to boost human stamina.

Abe said "Our experiment showed that the hornet juice helped lab animals and humans to transfer fat into energy more efficiently and this is very important in helping athlete's performance." The hornet juice, made up of amino acids reduced human fatigue, slowed down the build up of lactic acid and improved body's efficiency.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's some (if it's true) amazing shit right there!

 

[Dave Shepard]

Hornet barf, yummy!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Still, maybe worth it, Dave, you could possibly throw up those timber frames in a couple of hours, then study well into the night.

 

[Al Smith]

In reading up on the things hornets are rather amazing in spite of being somewhat of a pain at times .Kind of a play on words there .

 

[Dave Shepard]

Still battling the yellow jackets in the mill. I'm thinking I'll just leave the shop vac running next to the hole in the frame.

 

[RopeArmour]

I got funny one, mb not so funny. I got stung by a tree borer/wasp thingy right in the middle of the forehead when pruning a Beech. He followed me around and bugged me the whole prune and then finally with the last bit of dead wood out, he stung me.

I swelled up real big between the eyes I looked like alien out of Star Trek.
Hurt like bloody hell and sent me to the hospital.
Watch out for those guys! Might have hit me with the Ovipositor, trying to mate or what I am not sure.
Rather be sucker punched by Rowdy Rodney.

 

[Bodean]

They don't seem to bother me.

What do you guys do when encountering a big nest on a job?

The Guatemalans use the wasp/bee stings for joint pain relief.

 

[Paul B]

Have you guys noticed that they (bees, hornets, wasps) are nowhere near as prevalent this year?

We're in the East Puget Sound area, and last year, the Bald Faced Hornets where so bad that very few guys in our shop made it through the summer without getting bit. This year, no one's been bitten. No one's even SEEN a Bald Faced Hornet.

2 nests seen so far and a normal amount seen in action. They were on the wood fences two weeks ago, my idea is that they were chewing wood for nest building.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've been stung between the eyes before... I sure wished I'd have taken a pic!!!

 

[Burnham]

I squirt the bejeezus out of them with long range instant knockdown wasp/hornet spray, if I'm lucky or smart enough to see them before they see me. Several cans of the stuff is always included in my climbing kit bags.

Twice in my career I've had the misfortune of climbing into close encounter with bald-faced hornet nests aloft. It's not a pretty scene. I know for a fact one of the worst injury accidents in FS climber history was caused by the same thing. Other instances with somewhat less disasterous outcomes are also on our books.

You never really know how you'll react in a situation like that until you are in the middle of it...some people, even very experienced and completely rational ones, make panic-driven choices and have paid a steep price.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Lightening and bees were about the only things I feared when climbing.

 

[Rborist1]

I took one on my lip many years ago, my face swelled up so bad my staff did not recognize me. It caused me to tear up so bad i couldn't see and......it really really hurt!

 

[MasterBlaster]

That was the old thing with me: it didn't hurt but DAMN did my eyes swell shut! I looked like a Guido or Luigi orrrrrr something!

 

[Burnham]

In the worse of the two times for me, I took 15 or so stings...up my long shirt sleeves, on the back of my neck and down the back of my shirt on my upper back. Nothing on the face, which still seems amazing to me, because I can even now close my eyes and see the black cloud in front of my eyes and feel them buzzing across my cheeks and forehead.

I was free climbing, brothers. How does that strike you .

 

[MasterBlaster]

Been there, done that, 'bout shat myself!

 

[Jed]

Burnham: Was the other guy freeclimbing too? The one that had the worst accident? I often think of what that'd be like. I've only run into em' (baldies) once up in the tree, and I was tied in. Four stings in the face. Pretty sure my hitch was a bit glazed when I finally made it down.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I was so shook up when I hit the ground I couldn't climb any more that day.

 

[Burnham]

Burnham: Was the other guy freeclimbing too? The one that had the worst accident? I often think of what that'd be like. I've only run into em' (baldies) once up in the tree, and I was tied in. Four stings in the face. Pretty sure my hitch was a bit glazed when I finally made it down.

No, in that case he was spur climbing...unclipped his lanyard to try to downclimb fast by avoiding having to limb over (was climbing with alternating lanyards, no DRT system, as was common then, and still is in many circles, including mine). Lost it, fell 45 feet, broke his back.

I was so shook up when I hit the ground I couldn't climb any more that day.

Same here, Butch...same here.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Well, hornets do pay a price for being so bothersome to humans. I'm considering offering for sale, mounted specimens of the Giant Asian Wasp. Expertly mounted on a solid Walnut stand with the 1/4" stinger clearly visible. Start your collection!

Be advised, they do shrink up a tad after being hit with a spray of carburetor cleaner.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Send me one! I'll mount it!!!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Ok, next large victim. I'll try and catch one live so it doesn't shrink.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That would be awesome, Jay. I collected/mounted bugs when I was a kid. Excellent!!! A couple, three would be even better! It would make for an interesting piece!!!