So, I found this over the weekend. Took them 1 week to build it, sat under the shade tree the weekend before and it was not there…
So, I had a few beers Saturday night and was playing with flashlights and noticed they really do not like cool white lights. Many more came out with the Olight S1R and got more agitated. When the nest was hit with more powerful 5A1 and 7A2 lights, I got very little activity.
So, it has gotten bigger, but we are starting to get pretty cool at night so I do not expect much more growth. But it has grown in the last few weeks!
Very late in the season for a new nest to have been started. Usually they’d be well along in the cycle by this point in the year: Any chance they’ve been there longer? Assuming you’re around there often, they’d have known you were familiar and unthreatening long before you noticed them.
I haven't seen one since I was born and raised in Western NY state.
We used to have them all the time. We even had one that they built against a house window, so we could see the whole inner workings of the nest. It was awesome to watch. You could really hear all the activity through the window too.
I realize that it is very late. I sit under that tree and soak in the shade almost every weekend. That nest is only 5 feet off the ground! I would have noticed it before it got that big. That branch hangs over my exact afternoon tea or beer spot. I fully intend to harvest it, will likely wait until December to harvest it.
Hank, I am wondering if their original nest may have been damaged or destroyed. I have noticed Bald Hornets about 130’ away on the edge of the woods, but had not noticed them at the house until last week. We had some very high winds and some trees down and they may have had to relocate. I am thrilled to find them, gotta do some more research before I harvest it. Such as, are there eggs in it that will hatch in the spring? I have not found one in 30 years, I am actually excited to find it. But, as close as it is to the house and having a curious 9 year old… it may not make it to full size.
I have told her over and over that they can kill her, I poked it with a 20 foot conduit and let her see the swarm to impress upon her not to mess with it… I hope it was enough!
Don’t worry about eggs
Queens will find a spot to survive winter and lay new eggs in new nests.
When a nest gets destroyed by nature of wrongly by men
Survivers have no choice to start a new
Only humans in a society with social aid at hand or a reserve have the luxury to become depressed and let things slide. the rest just goes on there is no other way
Never seen anything like that! Amazing! And I can only imagine how captivating such a thing could be if built using a window pane as an exterior wall, awesome!
Dale, they are awesome to watch. They will fly around and scoop up flies, horseflies and moths in mid air and carry them inside of the nest. They perch on the opening and watch for prey. I will enjoy watching them for the rest of summer!
At night, they are not very aggressive when the sun is not out. If they get aggressive, I will let it go for the last couple of months of their life. I have been watching them from about 10 feet and it does not bother them, had one grab a sweat bee off my shirt sleeve on Sunday!
Yup, that is it! They are so cool! I do not expect my nest to get that big, very late start. I suspect the original nest on the edge of the woods was damaged or destroyed by a storm awhile back and this is the result. The nest did not start there this spring, the kids climb that tree and I sit almost every weekend under that very branch. I have moved about 10 feet now, but they have not stung me yet and do not seem agitated by me being close.
I could see wet pulp on the nest this weekend as they were building it. It grew about 1.5 inches this weekend alone! They sure build fast. If they do get honked off, they sting multiple times, unlike many flying things with stingers. So, lesson of the day… don’t make them mad!
I have noticed the warmer tints seem to elicit less reaction from bugs as well. Lizards too, the little geckos here in west texas scurry away under CW, but seem less skittish with the warmer tints… Has to be some reason…
That does look like a cool project to watch, but the safety of the family is much more important like you said. I hope all works out for you to have a great wall hanger for the den.
An alternative use for one of these empty nests is next to the front door if you have pesky salesmen or other types coming to the front of the house… Hang it there next to the door, no need for sound effects or actual wasps… Those that know will avoid on sight, those that don’t will be conditioned to learn the hard way…
insects vision is heavily biased to the blue end of the spectrum.they are blind to red.
cool nest if you can keep the neighborhood brats from messing with it.i had to exterminate the last 2 here as the brats were throwing rocks at them.and the hornets would attack anything that moved.i got stung just getting in the truck.nest 50’ or more away.they have to go at that point.
