On 29/08/2010 18:42, David Rance wrote:

Well, the sound they make is reminiscent of a Lancaster bomber and
that's enough to put the frighteners on me! I must say that those I've
encountered may well have been less aggressive than a wasp but when I
got too close they certainly warned me off with buzzing tactics.

I wonder if that is what that hornet was doing that flew side to side in
front of me? Like it was trying to herd me! I wonder what the best
strategy is in such an encounter? Possibly just to walk slowly away from
the hornet - which is what I did.

I was attacked by a swarm of wasps when I was a small child and since
then have a dread of them. These hornet males look damned intimidating
due to their size - like gigantic wasps. Is their sting worse than a wasp?

--
David in Normandy.
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