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Dozy Hornets?
Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom,
then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#2
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Dozy Hornets?
"David in Normandy" wrote in message . fr... Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. When I was head gardener at Ashton Wold (near Oundle) my house was on the edge of ancient oak woodland and hornets were around us throughout the summer. They never bothered us and we never bothered them. They would come into the house at this time of year (usually on the floor) and we would scoop them up on a piece of paper and put them outside. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. Phil |
#3
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Dozy Hornets?
On 27/08/2010 23:20, Phil Gurr wrote:
"David in wrote in message . fr... Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. When I was head gardener at Ashton Wold (near Oundle) my house was on the edge of ancient oak woodland and hornets were around us throughout the summer. They never bothered us and we never bothered them. They would come into the house at this time of year (usually on the floor) and we would scoop them up on a piece of paper and put them outside. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. Phil I'm surprised the French don't shoot them |
#4
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Dozy Hornets?
On 29/08/2010 12:33, stuart noble wrote:
On 27/08/2010 23:20, Phil Gurr wrote: "David in wrote in message . fr... Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. When I was head gardener at Ashton Wold (near Oundle) my house was on the edge of ancient oak woodland and hornets were around us throughout the summer. They never bothered us and we never bothered them. They would come into the house at this time of year (usually on the floor) and we would scoop them up on a piece of paper and put them outside. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. Phil I'm surprised the French don't shoot them and eat them with honey or something :-) . |
#5
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Dozy Hornets?
Donwill wrote:
On 29/08/2010 12:33, stuart noble wrote: On 27/08/2010 23:20, Phil Gurr wrote: "David in wrote in message . fr... Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. When I was head gardener at Ashton Wold (near Oundle) my house was on the edge of ancient oak woodland and hornets were around us throughout the summer. They never bothered us and we never bothered them. They would come into the house at this time of year (usually on the floor) and we would scoop them up on a piece of paper and put them outside. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. Phil I'm surprised the French don't shoot them and eat them with honey or something :-) . Apparently these days you're supposed to put them in a sack and beat them to death with a shovel. |
#6
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Dozy Hornets?
stuart noble wrote:
I'm surprised the French don't shoot them I had a big giggle at that... -- Rusty |
#7
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Dozy Hornets?
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Phil Gurr wrote:
Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. In France they are considered dangerous enough for the Fire Brigade to come out free of charge in order to deal with a colony - which happened to me a few years ago. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. That is certainly not my experience so I wonder if your observations about their docility is as accurate! Forgive me being rather more "waspish" than I usually am but I was stung by a wasp just a few minutes ago - the first time for years - and I don't react well to them! It was your sarcasm at the beginning that irritated me. There was no call for it. David -- David Rance writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France |
#8
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Dozy Hornets?
On 29/08/2010 17:18, David Rance wrote:
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Phil Gurr wrote: Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. In France they are considered dangerous enough for the Fire Brigade to come out free of charge in order to deal with a colony - which happened to me a few years ago. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. That is certainly not my experience so I wonder if your observations about their docility is as accurate! Forgive me being rather more "waspish" than I usually am but I was stung by a wasp just a few minutes ago - the first time for years - and I don't react well to them! It was your sarcasm at the beginning that irritated me. There was no call for it. David I've since discovered that there is a hornets nest around 6 feet away from the entrance to the upper part of the property. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt at the moment. They haven't attacked anyone or the dogs yet. The most interest they've shown is a solitary hornet flying side to side in front of me - sizing me up presumably. If they keep a truce so will I. Otherwise I'll get the fire brigade in to exterminate the nest. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#9
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Dozy Hornets?
David in Normandy wrote:
On 29/08/2010 17:18, David Rance wrote: On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Phil Gurr wrote: Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. In France they are considered dangerous enough for the Fire Brigade to come out free of charge in order to deal with a colony - which happened to me a few years ago. Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. That is certainly not my experience so I wonder if your observations about their docility is as accurate! Forgive me being rather more "waspish" than I usually am but I was stung by a wasp just a few minutes ago - the first time for years - and I don't react well to them! It was your sarcasm at the beginning that irritated me. There was no call for it. David I've since discovered that there is a hornets nest around 6 feet away from the entrance to the upper part of the property. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt at the moment. They haven't attacked anyone or the dogs yet. The most interest they've shown is a solitary hornet flying side to side in front of me - sizing me up presumably. If they keep a truce so will I. Otherwise I'll get the fire brigade in to exterminate the nest. Good! If their modus operandi is similar to that of wasps, at this time of year the last of the grubs will be pupating. In the case of wasps, the workers bring caterpillars and the like to feed the grubs with, and the grubs exude a sugary substance on which the workers feed. Sugary stuff being in short supply and work scarce, the workers find themselves at liberty to go scrumping. When I remember, I leave out sweet stuff for them, not too near my figs, apples, etc. -- Rusty |
#10
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Dozy Hornets?
On 29/08/2010 17:18, David Rance wrote:
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Phil Gurr wrote: Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! I must admit, the guy put my back up from the first sentence. Not the best way to promote his cause; especially since I'm very much an animal and nature lover... I often catch bumblebees that have found themselves indoors and escort them outside, similarly with spiders or other strange beetles that somehow get in occasionally. However, with the reputation hornets have I was taking no chances. However, having done a little research on the internet since then, it seems the variety is the common European Hornet and they are supposedly less aggressive than wasps; and less aggressive than generally feared. The are quite fascinating. I watched one land on the bay tree next to their nest the other day. It was carrying a housefly. It tore its wings off quite savagely then flew into the nest with it. I gather they eat lots of houseflies. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#11
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Dozy Hornets?
On Sun, 29 Aug 2010, David in Normandy wrote:
Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! I must admit, the guy put my back up from the first sentence. Patronising sarcasm is the best way of putting anyone's back up - but I expect that's what he was trying to do. Not the best way to promote his cause; especially since I'm very much an animal and nature lover... I often catch bumblebees that have found themselves indoors and escort them outside, similarly with spiders or other strange beetles that somehow get in occasionally. Well, me too. The wasp that stung me an hour or so ago was still alive on the bedroom floor, though rather dozy. I don't expect it will last long but nevertheless I scooped it up on a piece of card and put it outside on the bank. However, with the reputation hornets have I was taking no chances. However, having done a little research on the internet since then, it seems the variety is the common European Hornet and they are supposedly less aggressive than wasps; and less aggressive than generally feared. 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. The are quite fascinating. I watched one land on the bay tree next to their nest the other day. It was carrying a housefly. It tore its wings off quite savagely then flew into the nest with it. I gather they eat lots of houseflies. In that case I need to encourage them. From having no houseflies at all for the first couple of weeks of our stay we've now got a plague of them and there are always a couple on the keyboard of this computer! Why the keyboard?? Where *are* the hornets when you need them? All I've got are wasps eating my grapes! David -- David Rance writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France |
#12
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Dozy Hornets?
On 08/29/2010 06:42 PM, David Rance wrote:
On Sun, 29 Aug 2010, David in Normandy wrote: Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! I must admit, the guy put my back up from the first sentence. Patronising sarcasm is the best way of putting anyone's back up - but I expect that's what he was trying to do. Yes indeed. You were probably right not to respond. Anyway there's no dearth of hornets here in Normandy. And they certainly do sting, my daughter has been stung and she's about as aggressive as a rabbit (not counting Monty Python, mind). On the more aggressive front, my poor Dad left his window open here with the light on a few years ago and started stamping them barefoot; he had a ton of stings on the bottom of his foot! Talk about dozy. Not the best way to promote his cause; especially since I'm very much an animal and nature lover... I often catch bumblebees that have found themselves indoors and escort them outside, similarly with spiders or other strange beetles that somehow get in occasionally. Well, me too. The wasp that stung me an hour or so ago was still alive on the bedroom floor, though rather dozy. I don't expect it will last long but nevertheless I scooped it up on a piece of card and put it outside on the bank. Your wasp is probably over here now eating my peaches with his mates. Anyway I suspect most gardeners are apt to put the beastie back rather than swatting. I've spent the afternoon on the tractor swerving around field mice; which doesn't stop me from congratulating the cat when she brings them to the door. However, with the reputation hornets have I was taking no chances. However, having done a little research on the internet since then, it seems the variety is the common European Hornet and they are supposedly less aggressive than wasps; and less aggressive than generally feared. 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. They're quite easy to shew out if they've come in through a window and haven't spent too much time indoors. They seem to remember the most recently traversed path quite well. BTW, as recently seen on TV, the Calvados is now the only department in Normandy that still destroys the nests for free. Here in the Orne you have to pay a private contractor now, it's about 60 EU. We had a positively enormous nest in the attic a few years back (no doubt corresponding to my old Dad's encounter) that needed to go. -E |
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Dozy Hornets?
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. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#14
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Dozy Hornets?
David Rance wrote:
On Sun, 29 Aug 2010, David in Normandy wrote: Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! I must admit, the guy put my back up from the first sentence. Patronising sarcasm is the best way of putting anyone's back up - but I expect that's what he was trying to do. And that, of course, isn't patronising? He was probably reaacting to to the vision of a rather interesting and fairly rare creature being snuffed-out only because of its reputation. OK, I don't expect that would have been my comment if I'd come on the thread earlier, but you'll have to admit that the hornet has had a good press here as a result... /snip/ 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 was on the roof this spring and a queen flew past my ear, then came back to see if I'd make a good place to build a nest. Fortunately... The are quite fascinating. I watched one land on the bay tree next to their nest the other day. It was carrying a housefly. It tore its wings off quite savagely then flew into the nest with it. I gather they eat lots of houseflies. In that case I need to encourage them. From having no houseflies at all for the first couple of weeks of our stay we've now got a plague of them and there are always a couple on the keyboard of this computer! Why the keyboard?? You've not washed your hands before typing? Where *are* the hornets when you need them? All I've got are wasps eating my grapes! See earlier post - and my grapes haven't even turned colour yet. -- Rusty |
#15
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Dozy Hornets?
David Rance wrote:
On Fri, 27 Aug 2010, Phil Gurr wrote: Over the last three days I've found three hornets, once in the bathroom, then in the living room then one upstairs. Besides the mystery of how they got into the house I'm puzzled by why all three hornet just walked very slowly along the floor and seemed almost in a daze. I flattened each under foot without them even attempting to fly away. Anyone else had any dozy hornets? Why are they behaving like that? The ones I've encountered occasionally outside seem anything but docile. Well. bully for you, do you kill everything that you don't understand! Sarcasm is not helpful when you feel you might be aggressed. I'm certainly not going to hang around in the presence of a hornet to see if your words are true! Hornets are much more docile than wasps and will only become aggressive if you get too close to the nests. Only the females have a sting and the ones that you killed were probably evicted males at this time of year and were quite harmless. In France they are considered dangerous enough for the Fire Brigade to come out free of charge in order to deal with a colony - which happened to me a few years ago. Is this the first instance of the French over-reacting you've ever come across? Hornets are becoming rare in Western Europe and becoming endangered in the UK, indeed, many in the UK have never seen a hornet. That is certainly not my experience so I wonder if your observations about their docility is as accurate! Yes, it is accurate. Forgive me being rather more "waspish" than I usually am but I was stung by a wasp just a few minutes ago - the first time for years - and I don't react well to them! It was your sarcasm at the beginning that irritated me. There was no call for it. I didn't find it misplaced. Sorry. -- Rusty |
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