Giant Hornets in SOMD

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  • RobMoore

    The Mad Scientist
    Feb 10, 2007
    4,765
    QA
    European Hornets.

    They typically build massive hives inside of dead trees. We had a hive so big it eventually killed half the tree.

    I had them bad last year. They killed half my weaping willow tree and stung my dog a couple times. I used up 2 cans of spray, and have only seen the odd one on rare occasion since. I cut the dead limbs out and its starting to grow back this year.

    Side note; wasp and hornet spray is a bi+ch to clean up off kitchen floors when you are trying to knock one down as it flies around inside your house.
     

    Lennyo3034

    Active Member
    Feb 28, 2011
    440
    I had them bad last year. They killed half my weaping willow tree and stung my dog a couple times. I used up 2 cans of spray, and have only seen the odd one on rare occasion since. I cut the dead limbs out and its starting to grow back this year.

    Side note; wasp and hornet spray is a bi+ch to clean up off kitchen floors when you are trying to knock one down as it flies around inside your house.

    That's what a shotgun is for.
     
    Feb 28, 2013
    28,953
    Most likely cicada killers as they were not aggressive. They just didn't have the right color when I saw them. Here is a picture I took at night. Difficult to make out.

    Those definitely look like Euro-hornets.

    Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
     

    mark71211

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 10, 2012
    2,234
    Edgewater
    Probably Euro Hornets. They look like the Asian Hornets, but are way way less aggressive.
    If they were Asians, you'd know. Not even Godzilla wants to mess with those.

    Mhvzhvg.png

    Just get one of these guys as a pet. The love to eat Asian hornets
     

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    quattroginger

    Active Member
    Feb 22, 2013
    188
    i havent seen them this year yet surprisingly. the weather though has been all over the place still. maybe soon. i saw a few dead trees around they might be living in, i also start loosing one of my plants in the front yard last season, started looking dead from bottom up, i wonder if they were the bees killing it.
     

    RB5082

    Member
    Mar 6, 2015
    75
    When I lived in Mayo, we had these burrowing under the bare spots in our yard. Scared me when I first saw them. They can't hurt you.
     

    nutz

    Closer to 5's than 10's
    Jun 29, 2011
    364
    Near Indian Head, Md.

    IJM

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 7, 2012
    1,291
    District of Columbia
    Leave a bug zapper light out if it's that big of a concern for you. BTW, if you find a ground nest of Yellow Jackets, put a bug zapper near the nest well after dark, get as far away as you can from it, then plug in the bug zapper. The whole nest will come out to attack the intruder and kill themselves on it.

    I gotta try this. Don't forget the beer, lawn chair, and binoculars.
     

    Trek4Ward

    Hooligan #10
    Mar 26, 2013
    764
    Frederick County
    So I just had my first run in with these bastards. Mine were definitely European Hornets. I was trimming around a shrub where they were apparently feeding on the sap and a female got me right on top on the head. SOAB!!! I've been stung before, but never, ever like that. I got a huge knot on my head and the pain lasted a full day. It was like a hot ice pick in my head.

    04c857a7a5a748e685f7c73d1d942466.jpg
    9c45e5ab15f70172ce1bd0d4b5ca258e.jpg


    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     

    tjohn55

    LDO for CNO!
    Jan 13, 2016
    151
    Willards, MD
    Hornets

    Yes, those are European Hornets. I had them BAD when I lived in southern Maryland (Mechanicsville). Been stung TWICE by them, both times on the hand and both times at night. They are attracted by the light at night and will try to get into your house. They are TOUGH, tough, tough toi kill and are very aggressive.
    When I was stung, it was as if my entire hand was stuck in a fire. Incredibly painful. Pain lasted 5 or 6 hours. Beware.
     

    SKIP

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 5, 2009
    3,248
    Glenwood/Glenelg
    European hornet have damaged my apple for over 30 years. This time of the year they strip the peal off the apple and suck the juice and return it to the hive for winter use. They also strip the bark on my lilac bushes for the sap.
     

    Ngrovcam

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 20, 2016
    2,852
    Florida
    About 10 years ago we had one in our house in Port Tobacco...we found out
    when my wife stepped on it in stocking
    feet (hers, not its). Did not go well for
    her at all. Went worse for it after a
    while.

    They are pretty critters...look like they
    are all business.
     

    Ngrovcam

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 20, 2016
    2,852
    Florida
    About 10 years ago we had one in our house in Port Tobacco...we found out
    when my wife stepped on it in stocking
    feet (hers, not its). Did not go well for
    her at all. Went worse for it after a
    while.

    They are pretty critters...look like they
    are all business.
     

    AlBeight

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 30, 2017
    4,371
    Hampstead
    My guess is not a cikada killer. I've been messing with them last 3 years, digging big dirt mound/holes all over my yard. Killing my lawn. These are not aggressive in the least, just scary as crap at 1st. Cikada killers go to ground at dusk, you're describing them coming out of the woods at night attacking your house lights. My experience says you're on the right track with the hornets. Good luck with them, whatever they are, a sting would be awful I think.
     

    Major03

    Ultimate Member
    European hornet...most definitely. Cicada killers have a blacker thorax and look "waxier." They definitely like lilac bushes, which we have near our house, and some years have been worse than others. We've had professionals come in a couple of times to get rid of them. YMMV.
     

    gutshootem

    Active Member
    Feb 27, 2013
    358
    Calvert
    I just sprayed a permetherin mix around the perimeter of my house for ticks and must have hit the nest. There's at least a dozen of those things laying dead on the 12x12 slab outside my walk out basement doors.
     

    bohman

    Active Member
    May 20, 2012
    775
    St. Mary's
    I had to kill one of these in my garage last night. They return every fall to chew on my birch tree, normally we leave them alone, they go about their business and leave us alone. Very non-aggressive. But last night I climbed a ladder to change a bulb in my door opener, and one was lying in wait. Damn near scared me off the ladder, and then wouldn’t leave me alone so it met its fate with a scrap piece of plywood. It took a couple whacks - they don’t go down easy.


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