Hornet??

[crs16]

We were at the end of an afternoon pool party for the kids when we got buzzed by what I think is a large hornet. It was VERY aggressive flying right up into people's faces. Terrified the kids. I trapped it under the leaf net and drowned it while the kids got out of the pool.

This is the first one I've seen in our backyard.

Here are my questions:

1. Do you know what the range of a hornet is?

2. Could there be a nest nearby?

3. Should I be concerned now? Or could it just be a random flyby? Should I wait to see if another one shows up?

4. Is there someone I could call about this?

It has me really nervous! Thanks for any help.

Cindy

 

[woodyp]

Could it be a cicada killer instead of a hornet? Those suckers are HUGE.

 

[crs16]

Could it be a cicada killer instead of a hornet? Those suckers are HUGE.

I don't know. I hate INSECTS!!!

Let me see if I can post a pic.

 

[257WbyMag]

I'm thinking what woodyp is thinking. You probably don't have a pic of it but I'll try to help. Does it look like this? Image sourced from http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A2KJkIWuzTlOU ... n/node/129
[attachment=0:39d9j0mi]cicadakiller.jpg[/attachment:39d9j0mi]

 

[crs16]

Yes!!!! Here's a pic of ours:

I drowned him in the pool and had my daughter get a tupperware container for me to catch it in. I want to know what it is and if I should expect more of these babies!

Any thoughts?

 

[257WbyMag]

Okay. Yes, nothing to worry about with those. That looks like a male. Males are unique as they have no sting, but are often pests as they are usually REALLY interested in what you are doing. Oftentimes, they will divebomb people and animals in an attempt to stake out their territory and keep other males out. We have lots of them in our yard this time of year. I like having them because they kill those noisy cicadas. The females are typically a little bit bigger. As with all wasps, the females are the only ones who can sting but you would really have to bother them, (i.e. pick them up and try to hold them or something) to get them to sting you. All in all, they look ferocious but are not threatening to humans.

If they really are bothering you, you can control them in your yard by dusting their holes in the ground in your yard and flowerbeds with 5% Sevin dust.

 

[crs16]

Thanks everyone! I'm glad to find out they aren't anything more aggressive!

This one sure was annoying though, the kids were terrified. I thought it was interesting because it hadn't actually tried to sting anyone. Usually we just move to the other side of the pool, wait for the insect to get its drink and fly off. This one kept flying right up into the kids faces, terrifying them!

After a few cycles of us going from one end of the pool to the other, I'd had enough. So I drowned the poor fellow.

 

[crs16]

Another question:

I recently found a spot in the front yard that looked like it had been dug out right along the sidewalk. But there was no obvious hole, that I could see at least. I keep looking at it trying to figure out what was going on. But now I'm wondering...is that what a female's nest would look like?

Hmm....I think I'll be doing some more research....

 

[woodyp]

Nah.........that was just a skunk lookin' for grubs!

 

[257WbyMag]

They usually make a little holes in sandy soil and they are dug out real neat. Typically in flower beds. It would be an obvious hole, about 1 cm in diameter.

 

[crs16]

Thanks! I appreciate all the help!