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[Hinotori]

There was 1 dead worker found here near the Canadian border last December. 1 nest was found and destroyed last fall in Canada not that far from where the worker would be found.

Suddenly they are everywhere apparently. I have people claiming they had them in their yard on my Facebook page. "But the birds killed and ate them before we could get to them." Yeah right. You're 2 miles away from us and our wild birds wont even touch wasps unless they are certain they are dead.

It's like a doctor looking at a sore on a person and diagnosing it as a brown recluse spider bite even though they are so far out of the critters range it's ridiculous. You literally can't diagnose spider or insect bites like that since most of them appear exactly the same, and you sure can't diagnose species unless you catch it in the act.

Friend of ours got that diagnosis when he went in for sores on his legs that kept getting bigger. Doctor was "obviously it was a brown recluse because they are all over and the only thing that causes sores like that." Because of that moron, friend kept getting worse until someone else, who had a brain, had him tested for diabetes. What do you know, diabetic ulcers get better when treated properly and your blood sugars are controlled.

 

[Britesea]

found this picture, with this comment:
You will see these in your backyard, they're native and always have been, don't let the media scare you, no one gave a **** before the news told them to. They're called cicada killers.
Also, "murder hornet" is a made up scare tactic name for the Japanese hornet, so relax.

 

[Britesea]

There was 1 dead worker found here near the Canadian border last December. 1 nest was found and destroyed last fall in Canada not that far from where the worker would be found.

Suddenly they are everywhere apparently. I have people claiming they had them in their yard on my Facebook page. "But the birds killed and ate them before we could get to them." Yeah right. You're 2 miles away from us and our wild birds wont even touch wasps unless they are certain they are dead.

It's like a doctor looking at a sore on a person and diagnosing it as a brown recluse spider bite even though they are so far out of the critters range it's ridiculous. You literally can't diagnose spider or insect bites like that since most of them appear exactly the same, and you sure can't diagnose species unless you catch it in the act.

Friend of ours got that diagnosis when he went in for sores on his legs that kept getting bigger. Doctor was "obviously it was a brown recluse because they are all over and the only thing that causes sores like that." Because of that moron, friend kept getting worse until someone else, who had a brain, had him tested for diabetes. What do you know, diabetic ulcers get better when treated properly and your blood sugars are controlled.

just proves NO ONE is infallible, no matter how many certificates and degrees they may have on their wall. Meanwhile, a man that never finished college, is not a doctor, epidemiologist, or virologist, was never elected to any public office... whose only accomplishment is that he was willing to work on a Saturday, is now the World Leader in the fight against Covid-19? (oh, and a 17 year old girl is the world leader on climate change?)

 

[Hinotori]

View attachment 13927
found this picture, with this comment:
You will see these in your backyard, they're native and always have been, don't let the media scare you, no one gave a **** before the news told them to. They're called cicada killers.
Also, "murder hornet" is a made up scare tactic name for the Japanese hornet, so relax.

There are many giant hornet species. California has European ones that have colonized. There is the species native to the east coast. What's a millimeter or two in size difference between different species when they are that big? We have enough aggressive wasps here it's barely noticeable.

I know she couldn't have even had wasps nesting on her place. She has 2 acres and several hives of honeybees which she was bragging they had a large harvest from last year. Those bees would have been dead. They have lost hives to yellowjackets before. She was going on about having caught a hobo spider last year that bit her and caused a scab the size of a lentil. She was unhappy with the unconcerned doctor and said he was trying to kill her. It was a wolf spider. Even hobos are rare here in their native range and unless you're allergic, not an issue. She was going on about the scab and one of her younger kids asked "isnt that spot where you hit the nail?"

Im more concerned about the bald faced hornets and those are native. Those jerks are aggressive and make yellowjackets seem nice. I go out at dusk and destroy any nest I find. Can't even walk within 5 feet without them going for you. Can you tell they've surprised me a few times?

Sorry. Just mostly ranting about people on my Facebook making out like the hornets are some bioweapon designed as a personal affront and sent to kill them. These same people freak out about my honeybee and bumblebee pictures because I get within inches of them in flowers. And don't I know that snake could be poisonous. We don't have venomous snakes on this side of the mountains and my pictures of little garters which people are also horrified I pick up. Should have seen their reactions when I got the rat teeth stuck in my foot and went to the ER. I like bringing that one up with them because they still freak out. Even now if I threaten to touch them with the scars they gag and try to get away. Oh the gagging about the giant worms we have is hilarious. I know, or am related to, a bunch of scaredy wusses.

 

[Britesea]

so true, @Hinotori Even in their native Japan, Giant Asian Hornets only account for about 50 deaths a year, most probably beekeepers trying to approach their hives

 

[farmerjan]

I would rather have the bald face hornets than yellow jackets any day here. The yellow jackets I have encountered have often been in nests in the ground, and in the hay fields, and they will chase the tractor if I have raked hay over or near their in ground nests. They are very aggressive if they come around picnics and such too. The hornets usually have their nests up high enough in trees or bushes, occasionally under a porch roof, but do not seem to be especially bothersome. I have been bush hogging pastures and practically run into bushes where they have nests, and they will not "go after me" like the yellow jackets have. I will go around the bush the next time and seldom see much activity from the hornets.
We have a huge hornet that we call the Japanese Hornet here. I try to kill any I find because they have been aggressive when I have encountered them. And surprisingly, we have had A LOT of trouble with the borer bees. The ones that look alot like bumble bees. Had them constantly attacking the cows at the one farm as they would go in and out the one barn door. Constantly was taking a tennis racket and hitting them down and stepping on them at the farm till we finally got rid of them and the cows could go in and out in peace. I have had them buzz me too. They also do alot of damage to wood structures with all the holes they make. They get into the walls if you have wood siding too.

 

[flowerbug]

I would rather have the bald face hornets than yellow jackets any day here. The yellow jackets I have encountered have often been in nests in the ground, and in the hay fields, and they will chase the tractor if I have raked hay over or near their in ground nests. They are very aggressive if they come around picnics and such too. The hornets usually have their nests up high enough in trees or bushes, occasionally under a porch roof, but do not seem to be especially bothersome. I have been bush hogging pastures and practically run into bushes where they have nests, and they will not "go after me" like the yellow jackets have. I will go around the bush the next time and seldom see much activity from the hornets.
We have a huge hornet that we call the Japanese Hornet here. I try to kill any I find because they have been aggressive when I have encountered them. And surprisingly, we have had A LOT of trouble with the borer bees. The ones that look alot like bumble bees. Had them constantly attacking the cows at the one farm as they would go in and out the one barn door. Constantly was taking a tennis racket and hitting them down and stepping on them at the farm till we finally got rid of them and the cows could go in and out in peace. I have had them buzz me too. They also do alot of damage to wood structures with all the holes they make. They get into the walls if you have wood siding too.

other than nests on the house i don't try to get rid of all the bees/hornets/etc here. i so rarely get stung that it isn't an issue and i am not allergic. this year there are not many nests so far.

borers into wood are not common here but we call those carpenter bees and they've done some boring even into the side of the house. i just plug the holes with caulk. they are not colony dwellers. i do not know the species name of them that we've had.

we have had some nests which are more like hornets/wasps/etc in that they can sting more than once. when you've been stung the smell of that will attract others from that hive to also attack. i've had one try to sting me through my shoe and for the rest of that afternoon i had them keep trying to sting that shoe again and again. i also don't know the species name of them either - i thought they were mason bees, but i'm not sure and that doesn't fit what i know of them so i've never been able to verify the species.

i had to get rid of them as they were in the garden shed and had a nest in the wall. i took what tools we needed out of the shed and then plugged it up so that they could not get in or out for a few weeks. that shed gets very hot in the morning too so that also likely helped kill off that nest. the next spring i redid that shed so that the walls were well sealed up as we also had mice that would use that shed as a way to get into the walls of the garage and then the house. it had been on my list of things to do for many years and so glad when i finally got it done.

 

[Daisy]

I hope our travel and biosecurity restrictions get much tighter after this pandemic. We don't have many destructive bug pests, but over the years the number being brought in from overseas continues to rise. There was an outbreak of fruit fly in the city not long ago, which would be devastating if it expanded. A lot of the outbreaks are from individuals bringing in banned fruits and meats for their own consumption, anything that comes in mass loads is treated. I think that is why Boarder Force and Patrol is such a popular program here ha ha. We have so much more to protect. So many species of plants and animals that rely on the natural ecosystem services, many undiscovered, being destroyed by invaders. It makes me so sad when travellers are so ignorant to the unique biodiversity of this country.

It was very cold last night and while the fire kept us warm, I am very slow and tired today. I attended the zoom meeting this morning but I haven't had breakfast yet! Struggling to get going. It is blue skies, and I am getting ready to start my next crochet project. Sitting on the couch first thing in the morning was the big mistake.

 

[flowerbug]

I hope our travel and biosecurity restrictions get much tighter after this pandemic. We don't have many destructive bug pests, but over the years the number being brought in from overseas continues to rise. There was an outbreak of fruit fly in the city not long ago, which would be devastating if it expanded. A lot of the outbreaks are from individuals bringing in banned fruits and meats for their own consumption, anything that comes in mass loads is treated. I think that is why Boarder Force and Patrol is such a popular program here ha ha. We have so much more to protect. So many species of plants and animals that rely on the natural ecosystem services, many undiscovered, being destroyed by invaders. It makes me so sad when travellers are so ignorant to the unique biodiversity of this country.

It was very cold last night and while the fire kept us warm, I am very slow and tired today. I attended the zoom meeting this morning but I haven't had breakfast yet! Struggling to get going. It is blue skies, and I am getting ready to start my next crochet project. Sitting on the couch first thing in the morning was the big mistake.

we've also spread pests to the rest of the world too. it's not a one-way street.

 

[Daisy]

we've also spread pests to the rest of the world too. it's not a one-way street.

Oh? Which destructive pests have come out from Western Australia? I didn't know there was any but it would be good to know, the enviro centre I volunteer at might like an article on it. We're relatively free from the most destructive bugs. Although I bet a few spiders have hitched a ride overseas We don't have even have lyme disease and the sorts of bugs that bugs carry. I can't see the few remaining natural areas staying safe unless we limit and crack down further. But, to be honest, with the rate of sanity, half the state will be a salt lake within my life time anyway if ag practices don't change

I went to the city this afternoon for some more yarn. I may have gone over board with the yarn haha. It is so nice to crochet in cold weather, keeps me warm on the nights I don't light the fire. I got takeaway and a frappe, now settled in front of the TV for MasterchefAU. They had an episode cooking with backyard produce the other day, the duck sausage won!