I'm trapped by a swarm of angry hornets

  • Thread starter Ivan Seeking
  • Start date
In summary, the conversation was about a swarm of angry hornets that the speaker encountered while working outside. They suspected a raccoon living in the trees may have disturbed the hornet's hive. The swarm was described as being the size of a football field and the speaker mentioned wanting to take a picture, but not having a camera. They also discussed the potential danger of stepping on or mowing over the hive, and the difficulty of navigating through tall grass. One person suggested using gasoline to get rid of the hornets, while another mentioned a shortage of bees and suggested selling the hornets to a beekeeper. Some people shared their experiences with different types of stinging insects and techniques for dealing with them. In summary, the conversation rev
  • #36
-Job- said:
I once had a whole colony move into the chimney at my house, but they were honey bees. The whole radius of the house plus garden was covered by bees. They started coming down the chimney at one point and that's when the trouble really began.

Yikes! So did you at least get some honey out of the chimney?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #37
There was some honey gathered from the nest, but i didn't see any of it.
 
  • #38
Now it's starting to seem that we have a roving swarm? Does this make any sense? Do they swarm in early summer for some reason? As I said, at first they were all swarming around one area with the size of the swarm decreasing each day. Yesterday there was probably only dozens to a few hundred flyling around. Then this morning there was a good size swarm out there again near the same place but relocated by about twenty feet. This afternoon they were gone when hornets are normally buzzing all around. Yesterday evening I went out and took a look but didn't see a large nest on the ground where I expected to find one. It could still be hidden in the grass but I looked near what seemed to be the center of the swarm.

Now I know that we do get tremendously large nests here in Oregon as I've seem them as large as a basketball, and the size of the initial swarm was in line with some of the nests I've seen, but I have never seen an entire swarm moving around like this.
 
  • #39
Well, I never found a nest, and I finally had the pasture mowed but he didn't quite finish mowing - the hornets ran him off! When he got near the tree mentioned earlier, they started to swarm. Luckily he saved that area for last.

I think the nest may be in the tree trunk. I can't see one but it is certainly somewhere nearby, and a very large one at that! I'll probably try to figure out where the nest is and wait until winter to get it.
 
  • #40
Wait until winter? You're no fun.:biggrin:

Do you think that there may be another queen and they are moving to start another nest?
 
  • #41
Ivan Seeking said:
Well, I never found a nest, and I finally had the pasture mowed but he didn't quite finish mowing - the hornets ran him off! When he got near the tree mentioned earlier, they started to swarm. Luckily he saved that area for last.

I think the nest may be in the tree trunk. I can't see one but it is certainly somewhere nearby, and a very large one at that! I'll probably try to figure out where the nest is and wait until winter to get it.

Call in an exterminator and get it removed.
 
  • #42
They are no threat in cold weather - they can't move. When it gets cold I'll have my wife Tsu take care of it. :uhh:
 
  • #43
cyrusabdollahi said:
about 1.5" long and really thick and stubby.
Cicada killers. A lot these in parts of Texas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada_killer_wasp
Might as well include the Cicadas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

swarm
If the critters are truly swarming, like a small tornado, chances are they're re-locating (leaving an old hive, or a splinter group following a second queen). Since there's no hive to protect, they generally aren't aggressive, and won't sting while they're swarming. The key is a general lateral movement while swarming. If they're protecting a nest, they're more scattered, and there's no net lateral movment. I've had a swarm of rather large hornets pass right by me while I was at a stop light on a bicycle. The main concern is for the hornets not to get "caught in clothing" (as mentioned in the article) which would trigger a trapped reaction.

relocating honey bees
I live near the edge of an unpopulated area. The local vector control frowns on killing any critters in our area. There's a service to relocate honey bees. The guy comes out in a van, dons a bee keeper suit, captures the queen bee, guides her into a small box with a string, then hangs the box in the back of the van and just waits for almost all of the bees to surround the queen, then he closes up the van, and relocates the bees to a honey farm.
 
Last edited:
  • #44
Jeff Reid said:
If the critters are truly swarming, like a small tornado, chances are they're re-locating (leaving an old hive, or a splinter group following a second queen).

That's what Integral suggested. It would also explain why I haven't seen as many since, even when they started to go after my tractor man.
 
  • #45
Ivan Seeking said:
They are no threat in cold weather - they can't move. When it gets cold I'll have my wife Tsu take care of it. :uhh:

I meant remove them before the winter. Maybe I'm just weird, but my property isn't here for spawn's of satan to relocate and freeload. If they want to stay on my property they can pay rent or meet Mr.Raid. :)
 
  • #46
The year before last was a bumper year for white-faced hornets, and they built a nest in a particularly good patch of blackberries on the edge of the woods in the back yard. I didn't want to poison the patch or the soil, so I just avoided that patch, until the night-time temps dropped to the low 40's and the black bear from out back (with whom I have to share the berries) ate the hornets, grubs, food stocks, everything. Nothing was left of the nest but shreds of gray paper. At least I got to pick blackberries from that patch until frost hit. Get a bear, Ivan!
 
  • #47
turbo-1 said:
Get a bear, Ivan!

Moonbear! Turbo says this is your job.
 
  • #48
Ivan Seeking said:
Moonbear! Turbo says this is your job.
Sure! Hornets are very small, and Moonie's used to tackling much larger beasts - baaaaa. :rofl:
 
  • #49
http://img.timeinc.net/popsci/images/2007/01/mega_jan07_9.jpg [Broken]
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/photogallery/54647d505244c010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/5.html [Broken]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #50
Ivan Seeking said:
http://img.timeinc.net/popsci/images/2007/01/mega_jan07_9.jpg [Broken]
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/photogallery/54647d505244c010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/5.html [Broken]
Whoa! You found my car!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #51
So *that's* where all the missing bees have gone! They were just on a road trip. Phew! And here people were worried they were gone for good.
 
  • #52
Oh. That's just my bee power car.
 
<h2>1. What should I do if I'm trapped by a swarm of angry hornets?</h2><p>If you find yourself trapped by a swarm of angry hornets, the best thing to do is to remain calm and slowly back away from the area. Do not make any sudden movements or swat at the hornets, as this may aggravate them further.</p><h2>2. How can I protect myself from getting stung by the hornets?</h2><p>The best way to protect yourself from getting stung by the hornets is to cover your head and face with a cloth or any other protective barrier. You can also try to find shelter or a safe place to hide until the hornets disperse.</p><h2>3. Will running away from the hornets make them more aggressive?</h2><p>Yes, running away from the hornets can make them more aggressive as it may trigger their natural instinct to defend their territory. It's best to slowly back away from the area instead of running.</p><h2>4. What should I do if I get stung by a hornet?</h2><p>If you get stung by a hornet, try to remain calm and slowly move away from the area. Remove the stinger if it's still in your skin and clean the area with soap and water. You can also apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and pain.</p><h2>5. How can I prevent getting trapped by a swarm of angry hornets in the future?</h2><p>To prevent getting trapped by a swarm of angry hornets, it's important to avoid their nesting areas and be cautious when working or playing outdoors. If you do come across a hornet's nest, it's best to leave it alone and call a professional for removal.</p>

1. What should I do if I'm trapped by a swarm of angry hornets?

If you find yourself trapped by a swarm of angry hornets, the best thing to do is to remain calm and slowly back away from the area. Do not make any sudden movements or swat at the hornets, as this may aggravate them further.

2. How can I protect myself from getting stung by the hornets?

The best way to protect yourself from getting stung by the hornets is to cover your head and face with a cloth or any other protective barrier. You can also try to find shelter or a safe place to hide until the hornets disperse.

3. Will running away from the hornets make them more aggressive?

Yes, running away from the hornets can make them more aggressive as it may trigger their natural instinct to defend their territory. It's best to slowly back away from the area instead of running.

4. What should I do if I get stung by a hornet?

If you get stung by a hornet, try to remain calm and slowly move away from the area. Remove the stinger if it's still in your skin and clean the area with soap and water. You can also apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and pain.

5. How can I prevent getting trapped by a swarm of angry hornets in the future?

To prevent getting trapped by a swarm of angry hornets, it's important to avoid their nesting areas and be cautious when working or playing outdoors. If you do come across a hornet's nest, it's best to leave it alone and call a professional for removal.

Similar threads

  • General Discussion
Replies
6
Views
1K
Replies
52
Views
6K
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • General Discussion
Replies
16
Views
5K
  • General Discussion
2
Replies
42
Views
9K
  • General Discussion
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • General Discussion
Replies
2
Views
6K
  • General Discussion
Replies
7
Views
5K
  • General Discussion
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
8K
Back
Top