giant wasp like thing.

[Biker]

Living in France we have a lot of hornets. Anyway I'm glad you finally found the answer you were seeking.

Basic rule of thumb (and I'm not expert) a wasp is a wasp whereas a hornet looks exactly like a wasp but comes in a super-sized familiy serving. Think Twins starring Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnie would be the hornet, and the scale's about right too.

I've seen examples them droning about in our conservatory over 40mm long. Apparently if you get stung by one it's a hospital visit, if you get stung by three at one time you risk a serious case of death. Assuming you haven't already died of fright before hand.

I'm not sure if their sting is a killer or your own anaphylactic shock reaction to it. Whatever, they're more docile than a wasp and don't have that big man in a small body attitude.

We've got a pear tree in our garden and they love munching on those pears. I saw one eating merrily away and so I went in closer for a look. I swear he turned his head slowly mind, and gave me a look which said; "Don't even think about it pal, this pear's mine" I walked away trying not to make eye contact. Lucky for me I don't like pears so I let him continue eating.

He who turns and runs away can live to run away another day. Old family motto of mine.

Melonfish check your post soon I'll send you a live sample of one in a parcel.

 

[JohnC]

We saw these the other month,

this one was drilling into a log, quite big, but appeared longer with the sheath for its "drill"

These two were apparently fighting, when I went back a few mins later the larger one was dead and the wasp was gone...

 

[Grooveski]

That's a brilliant photo of the wood wasp laying her eggs John.

Here's one I scooped out of Loch Ard one day with the paddle. She'd lost a few legs(presumably nibbled away as she was swimming) but flew away quite the thing after drying out on the foredeck.

 

[nuggets]

so are they wood wasps or hornets ???

 

[Grooveski]

Spoonys, Johns first pic and my one are wood wasps.

 

[bayleaf]

I was stung on the dinkle by one of those when I was seven and holidaying in Bude.

I doubt that very much.The 'sting' is an ovipositor....used for laying eggs harmlessly in decaying timber.

 

[JonathanD]

I doubt that very much.The 'sting' is an ovipositor....used for laying eggs harmlessly in decaying timber.

Huh? They sting very very well......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornet

 

[Harvestman]

Huh? They sting very very well......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornet

Hornets sting. Wood wasps can't sting at all. They just look like they can, as part of their protection against being eaten. If you were stung, it was by a common wasp, or a hornet. A wood wasp is actually a big sort of sawfly, and not a wasp at all. The name confuses, a bit like a slow worm not being a worm (or snake, or slow..)

 

[Retired Member southey]

Ahaha, I think what we have here is a common fault of not bothering to read the thread through before commenting, read from post one guy's and you'll see it was a hornet that was being discussed with relation to JonathanD's dinkle.

 

[Harvestman]

Thanks Southey. That clarifies and it makes sense.

By the way, I'm really impressed with that picture of a wasp killing a big horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus or T. bovinus, I'm not exactly sure). I've seen them tackle honey bees like that (that one ended in a draw as the fighting pair rolled into a storm drain and neither emerged!), but a big horsefly is impressive.

Great photos on this thread :You_Rock_

 

[nuggets]

all we need now is ..confirmation from the guy that sucked the poison out of it!!!! he he he )

 

[JonathanD]

all we need now is ..confirmation from the guy that sucked the poison out of it!!!! he he he )

Oi!!! I was only seven, otherwise I'd have used the swelling to it's full avantage.

Yes, sorry guys, it was a hornet I was stung by when I was a kid. It hit the windscreen and came through the sun roof into the car, my mother swatted it off the window into the back seat where I was sitting. Apologies Bayleaf, I didn't realise you were talking about wood wasps.

 

[jojo]

People in France used (plenty still do, and the hornet is endangered) to believe: 7 hornet stings to kill a horse, 3 to kill an adult and 2 to kill a child. It's scientifically proven this is nonsense, the venom is no more dangerous than a bee's. A hornet is less aggresive than a wasp, and will prefer to go away rather than try to sting you. Don't flap about and there is little risk from them. What scares people is that hornets are big and noisy, they have a bad reputation which is totally unjustified.

 

[dgardner]

#23 Grooveski how big is that Paddle?
I was planning on going up near there next year but
if that is the size of insects around there no way.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Not what you want to see round the back of a speaker is it!

 

[Biker]

People in France used (plenty still do, and the hornet is endangered) to believe: 7 hornet stings to kill a horse, 3 to kill an adult and 2 to kill a child. It's scientifically proven this is nonsense, the venom is no more dangerous than a bee's. A hornet is less aggresive than a wasp, and will prefer to go away rather than try to sting you. Don't flap about and there is little risk from them. What scares people is that hornets are big and noisy, they have a bad reputation which is totally unjustified.[/QUOTE]


Have to agreew iththat synopsis, but I'd still rather not risk getting stung. We shoo the hornets out when they come in but a Frenchman would chase it round the house with his shoe to save the countless thousands it'd sting to death after it escaped. Agree about them being less agressive than wasps. I think it's down to size and confidence, They know they're carrying a lance whereas a wasp has to prove his dagger is bigger than it is... but now we're getting back to JonathanD's dinkle again :lmao:

 

[Grooveski]

#23 Grooveski how big is that Paddle?
I was planning on going up near there next year but
if that is the size of insects around there no way.

56".
If it helps keep your holiday plans on track I've never seen anything like it before or since.

The thorax was bigger than that of a dragonfly and the abdomen was bumblebee wide. Length overall was about five inches including the antennae and ovipositor. When it flew away I could see it until it cleared the trees at the loch edge maybe 70m away.

Didn't know what it was and didn't know those weren't stings. Kept a very close eye on her indeed while she was aboard.

 

[JonathanD]

56".
If it helps keep your holiday plans on track I've never seen anything like it before or since.

The thorax was bigger than that of a dragonfly and the abdomen was bumblebee wide. Length overall was about five inches including the antennae and ovipositor. When it flew away I could see it until it cleared the trees at the loch edge maybe 70m away.

Didn't know what it was and didn't know those weren't stings. Kept a very close eye on her indeed while she was aboard.

That is huuuge!!