# Identifications please



## bazzeruk

Can anyone identify the two pictures please? I think the insect is a Hornet. The nest is stuck to the garage roof and is about 3 inches across with an access hole in the bottom. Many thanks


----------



## Zebedee

Yep. It's a hornet.

They are not usually aggressive, so it may not be a problem if you give it a fairly wide berth.

Dave


----------



## 747

Keep your distance in case it stings you.

I was stung on the earlobe by a big black Hornet in West Africa.

The best way to describe it, is to say it was the equivalent of being hit on the ear by an 8 lb hammer. 8O :lol:


----------



## bazzeruk

Thanks - is the nest made by a hornet too? It seems very small


----------



## Zebedee

bazzeruk said:


> Thanks - is the nest made by a hornet too? It seems very small


Yes. There won't be many of them. Individual nests have very few members compared to wasps or bees.

Dave


----------



## aguilas389

747 said:


> The best way to describe it, is to say it was the equivalent of being hit on the ear by an 8 lb hammer. 8O :lol:


Agree, keep your distance I still have the scar on my stomach from being stung 40 odd years ago when I worked in Zambia, and if I try hard I'm sure it still hurts now
:lol: 
Mike


----------



## rosalan

Pardon me chaps but unless I am mistaken, this is not an African hornet and checking his address; he aint in Zambia where biting things can be rather nasty.
Alan


----------



## Penquin

I know you are not in Hampshire but this gives quite a good guide to wasps, bees and hornets;

http://www.hampshire-waspcontrol.co.uk/wasp-nest.html

it points out that young nests look clean and fresh, they become old and tatty as they get older and the insects add more to the outside to repair damaged areas.

For Devon try;

http://www.dartmoorpestcontrol.co.uk/hornet_26.html

Hope that helps,

Dave


----------



## DJMotorhomer

All i know about them is they attack wasp nests and behead the wasps fast and furious.


----------



## seanoo

apart from being big and noisy hornets wont do you any harm if you leave them alone. i see loads of them here in france and often get them in the house but they are easy to usher out and are not at all aggressive. between the bee , wasp and hornet the bee has the worst sting and the wasp and (european) hornet are about the same. all the best sean


----------



## 747

rosalan said:


> Pardon me chaps but unless I am mistaken, this is not an African hornet and checking his address; he aint in Zambia where biting things can be rather nasty.
> Alan


It's nice to have a wander down memory lane now and again.

Did I ever tell you what happened to old Ponsonby-Smythe?

Maybe tomorrow. 

Back on topic. If the nest and occupants can be a nuisance, the local Council will get rid of it for you.


----------



## Zebedee

Just for interest, does anyone know if their sting is fundamentally similar to a wasp?

If it is (which I presume) I'm not too terrified, but if it has any similarity to a bee sting I would be worried.

I used to keep bees, but developed a very serious allergy to their stings, and was almost at the point of carrying an auto-injector against anaphylactic shock.

After a serious rollicking from the doctor I reluctantly got rid of my bees, and I still miss them!

Dave


----------



## 747

Zebedee said:


> After a serious rollicking from the doctor I reluctantly got rid of my bees, and I still miss them!
> 
> Dave


You are such a softie Dave.

I bet you knew all their names. :lol:


----------



## seanoo

hi dave, have a read of this, quite interesting and might make you feel better.

http://www.hornissenschutz.de/hornets.htm


----------



## Biglol

Well now, this little thread takes me back a few years to when I was taking two young ladies to a party, (I was just the wheels to them) anyway I was driving along and I suddenly felt something moving about between me and the seat of my trousers, then it stung me very high up my right leg.
Within the space of a few seconds i had stopped the car and was standing on the side of the road with my trousers around my ankles. The two girls looking quite amused.

Yes, the sting was about the same strength as a wasps, but I wouldn't want to repeat the process.


----------



## aguilas389

rosalan said:


> Pardon me chaps but unless I am mistaken, this is not an African hornet and checking his address; he aint in Zambia where biting things can be rather nasty.
> Alan


As the text says "40 years ago whilst working in Zambia", of course I'm not there now you silly person I'm parked up in Erquy on my way from my home in Spain to the UK.
Mike


----------



## Zebedee

747 said:


> You are such a softie Dave.
> I bet you knew all their names. :lol:


Course I did, stupid boy. They were my friends! :wink: :lol: Well - all except the few little swine who bit me occasionally. 8O

Ever kept bees? There would be no aggro on MHF if all the stroppy members took up beekeeping. 8O :lol: :lol:

If you are not calm and placid when you handle them, you are asking for trouble.

Hmmmmmmm? Not so different to MHF after all then! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Dave


----------



## spatz1

Its not just the sting thats a danger...

I wasnt aware they were disturbed by the magnetic field of electrical equipment and instinctively batted one away with my left hand while using the cicular saw i d just started....

on xray of my second finger , you could see a perfect cut angled like the blade teeth half way through the last tiny bone and I had to have 4 stitches on what looked like a lump of bloodied meat on the end.... No anathetic given in italy ... It s taken 15 years to lose most of the numbness in the finger,but i realise how lucky i was in not stuffing my hand in.


----------

