A hornet appears to have moved into my kitchen. And I've abandoned ship

[BlueStringPudding]

I've been at my nice countrified mooring for a couple of weeks now. And I've noticed the odd visit from giant wasp things that have a very low pitched buzz like a bumble bee but more constant in tone. They look like a wasp but are between 2 and 3 inches long. They buzz outside the door when I've got it open which results in me flapping about in a panic and they go away

 

This afternoon one came in when I wasn't on guard and is now in a window of my kitchen. I took a photo and stuck it on Facebook and people are telling me it's a hornet. That doesn't sound good.

 

I sprayed it with a mostly run out bottle of bug spray and it didn't so much as flinch. And I closed the venetian blinds hoping it'd stay where it was till it kindly chose to die. Just looked from outside and there is no zombie hornet on the window ledge suggesting it's elsewhere in the boat. So I've abandoned ship

 

When I've finish my beer in the pub I'll head to the shops to buy some more bug spray. My concern is there must be a nest somewhere nearby (not on my boat though thankfully but close enough to be causing me problems)

 

At the moment my main plan of action is to go home once drunk enough to be less afraid freak out like Ace Ventura did in the cave of bats.

 

Any better suggestions?

Edited June 14, 2014 by BlueStringPudding

[John Holden]

Is it a wood wasp? Big and scary looking with apparently a huge sting but totally harmless?

[Southern Star]

How about making a jam trap? Use an old 2 litre pop bottle, cut the top off at the neck, turn it upside down and tape it back onto the bottle, put a spoonful of jam and some hot water in it and mix it up, then just leave it .

[Phil Ambrose]

Had a few run ins with Hornets and fly spray does seem to be somewhat ineffective. In the past I've dealt with them by really whanging them as haed as possible (make sure you get them first hit) then immediately pounce on them and crush them by any means possible, they are tough buggers. Good luck

Phil

[Theo]

Poor you!

 

Have a look at this thread on the wildaboutbritain forum: http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/insects-and-invertebrates/52602-extremely-large-hornet.html, It might be of help.

 

N

[MtB]

Site refuses to load, for me.

 

MtB

[Jerra]

It sounds too big for the European Hornet and I don't think the invading Asian Hornet as got past being the odd vagrant on the south coast. As has been mentioned has it a large ovipositor (looks like a ginormous sting) if so probably a woodwasp.

[Timleech]

We've got hornets in the garden this year for the first time that I've been aware of, had one in our bedroom yesterday, just persuaded it to go out again.

They are, allegedly, much less aggressive than wasps can be and again according to what I've read their stings are no worse than ordinary wasps.

Watch out for Asian hornets, though, which have been seen is some places and apparently are rather nasty.

 

It sounds too big for the European Hornet and I don't think the invading Asian Hornet as got past being the odd vagrant on the south coast. As has been mentioned has it a large ovipositor (looks like a ginormous sting) if so probably a woodwasp.

 

It's easy to think a hornet is bigger than it really is, it's a very impressive creature when you're used to ordinary social wasps.

 

Tim

Edited June 14, 2014 by Timleech

[OldGoldy]

Site refuses to load, for me.

 

MtB

 

Same for me, so try THIS

[MtB]

 

Same for me, so try THIS

 

Works for me, thanks!

 

No help in identifying the beast though, is it?

 

MtB

[Timleech]

 

Works for me, thanks!

 

No help in identifying the beast though, is it?

 

MtB

 

Hornets that I've seen have generally had some reddish colouring, either to the thorax or the head, other than that they are just like overgrown wasps to my untrained eye.

 

Tim

[tree monkey]

as far as i am aware wood wasps are solitary and inhabit conifer plantations, there are no conifer trees local to her mooring, i could aways be wrong of course i oftern am

 

The first time i encountered a wood wasp i was felling a group of scotts pines and as is the way when working with these trees i was soon covered by sap, i looked down to see my obviously pine smelling chainsaw trousers with a fecking huge wasp trying to shove its spiky arse into my leg, i am not all that ashamed to admit to running away screaming, flailing madly at the now very confused wood wasp.

 

I soon learnt they are harmless and now find them fascinating but there is no denying scary looking things

[Henhouse]

My first guess when you mentioned it's size, was wood wasp.

 

As Tim says above, hornets generally have some red colouring. Apparently there is have been sightings of a new immigrant hornet recently.

 

If you don't have wasp killer spray, then hair spray is an alternative. A good blast when it's in flight may mess up it's steering and turn it into a glider !

[MtB]

Here's a photo of a woodwasp:

 

And here's the source

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wood+wasp&client=firefox-a&hs=qjZ&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1pOcU8uTCsXMOeaVgSg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=902#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=jpv-YdtgIBuKgM%253A%3BLURqhKgOlPN6PM%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fc1.staticflickr.com%252F3%252F2885%252F9539000869_f0ae2ea82f_z.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.flickr.com%252Fphotos%252F68769579%2540N07%252F9539000869%252F%3B640%3B429

[tree monkey]

Henhouse, on 14 Jun 2014 - 7:27 PM, said:

My first guess when you mentioned it's size, was wood wasp.

 

As Tim says above, hornets generally have some red colouring. Apparently there is have been sightings of a new immigrant hornet recently.

 

If you don't have wasp killer spray, then hair spray is an alternative. A good blast when it's in flight may mess up it's steering and turn it into a glider !

so you not met BSP then?

[BlueStringPudding]

Just seen another one outside on the bank. Definitely 2-3 inches long. Stinger doesn't look out of proportion. Whole back end is yellow. Head has a yellow patch on it. Thorax (If that's what you call it on a wasp) is black or very dark brown. Head slightly broad looking. Very low pitched buzz. I'm not sure it looks like the photos of hornets I've seen.

 

Not sure where the one in the kitchen has gone now I'm back from the shop with bug spray. So I've squirted round the window and abandoned that end of the boat. Shame coz there's some nice salmon fillets and salad in the fridge. On the plus side the other end of the boat has beer and crisps and tele. So I reckon I can survive the wasp zombie apocalypse for a day or two.

[Androo]

I had a wasp building a nest in my cratch last month. I caught it and took it more than 200mts away from my boat and let it go.

 

Next day it was back. It slipped under the shrunken cratch cover and started building in the same spot. They must have homing sensors. There are 300 plus boats on this marina so how on earth did it find mine again?

 

PS: Forgot to say that I only give them one opportunity so, I flattened it the second time.

Here's a photo of a woodwasp:

 

And here's the source

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wood+wasp&client=firefox-a&hs=qjZ&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1pOcU8uTCsXMOeaVgSg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=902#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=jpv-YdtgIBuKgM%253A%3BLURqhKgOlPN6PM%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fc1.staticflickr.com%252F3%252F2885%252F9539000869_f0ae2ea82f_z.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.flickr.com%252Fphotos%252F68769579%2540N07%252F9539000869%252F%3B640%3B429

Lovely nails. Do you play the guitar? Possible no. Just realized that's your left hand.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Androo

[Henhouse]

so you not met BSP then?

No, I haven't.

 

I was hoping for a pic of the zombie wasp, but now you have me wondering about BSP, and why mention of hair spray causes such mirth !!!

[BlueStringPudding]

Don't think it's a wood wasp. It doesn't look as mean as what I've got.

[tree monkey]

Henhouse, on 14 Jun 2014 - 7:37 PM, said:

No, I haven't.

 

I was hoping for a pic of the zombie wasp, but now you have me wondering about BSP, and why mention of hair spray causes such mirth !!!

she is very very lovely and all that, just i have never seen her use hair spray, i think i should stop digging

 

and to add i am amost 100% sure its not a wood wasp

Edited June 14, 2014 by tree monkey

[MtB]

I had a wasp building a nest in my cratch last month. I caught it and took it more than 200mts away from my boat and let it go.

 

Next day it was back. It slipped under the shrunken cratch cover and started building in the same spot. They must have homing sensors. There are 300 plus boats on this marina so how on earth did it find mine again?

 

PS: Forgot to say that I only give them one opportunity so, I flattened it the second time.

Lovely nails. Do you play the guitar? Possible no. Just realized that's your left hand.

 

It's not my hand, it's an image found on the net. (See the credit!)

 

But yes I do play the guitar.

 

Well 'play' is perhaps a bit of an exageration...

 

 

MtB

[GUMPY]

Personally having been attacked by wasps when I accidently drove a stake through a nest whilst mooring, I would be moving on, in fact by now I would be miles away.

[BlueStringPudding]

I know someone who did that on the Thames. They flew up his trouser leg.

Edited June 14, 2014 by BlueStringPudding

[Timleech]

I had a wasp get under my shirt while steering into a French canal tunnel. It stung me multiple times, until I managed to squash it, but the stings seemed to get steadily weaker.

 

Tim

[frangar]

I did it once too......I also tested the top speed of the boat......I did rescue the mooring pin first.....not something I want to repeat in a hurry....

 

Cheers

 

Gareth