HORNETS!! YIKES!!

Moments before becoming aware of this nest I was working about 18" directly under it. In no time at all I was standing in a swirl of agitated hornets who perceived me as a serious threat. I got nailed under my left jowl and again in mid-back as I beat an ungraceful and hasty retreat. Maybe they didn't like the news about the Democratic Party that was playing on NPR on my nearby radio at that moment??

This seems to be an especially vicious season for stinging insects in our yard. Before the yellowjackets in the house wall, I had wiped out an underground nest of the same nasty beasties in the roots of a tree along our back fence line. And earlier I had gone after one nest of ants near the back door of the garage and another colony out in Betty's flower garden. These little brutes are white faced hornets and they are wickedly agressive - in clouds of attackers. The spider hatch this year was enormous and dozens have been sent to the happy squishing grounds.

This old man is getting tired of defending the castle against these angry hoards. An endless supply seems tobe available around here. The one pictured - after dark, thank you - is the fourth paper-made nest I have had to deal with in the past five or six years. One was under the eaves near the fireplace stack, one was in an asian pear tree in the orchard, and a third was in this very same maple tree about three years ago. That one was within six feet of where this one hangs. Odd, Eh? Two of the four have been the size of vollyballs, one was the size of a medium cantalope, and this one is nearly a foot through at the widest point. Late tonight I'll put out their lights permanently, and good riddance!!