We took care of the hornets....

We thought we would leave the hornets....but they became too numerous.

They are dead now...

No one was stung but the boys enjoyed seeing us "get them" and I enjoyed studying the nest for a day till Sandor dumped it in the pond/marsh by our house.

If you look closely at the second picture the queen is in the middle. She survived 2 cans of spray and the fire. Many of the larva around her were still alive too. Amazing. Inside the paper nest were 3 layers of "honeycomb" like sections to hold the larva...and there were oh so many of them.

Look at what was found on our Red Maple tree!

Our next door neighbor noticed this Bald Faced Hornet nest on our Red Maple tree. Its frightening, in fact, because Jacob just ran the mower right beneath it yesterday. Its gone unnoticed all summer. Looking at the tree its actually well hidden and hard to see until you know its there.

While it is somewhat terrifying to stand there while the Bald Faced Hornets come and go from the nest at lightning speed and in huge numbers it is also quite fascinating from an educational standpoint. Its simply amazing. Checking them out online it turns out they are one of the less aggressive types of hornets and actually help control some of the other species...like the dreaded Yellow Jacket...because they will kill them, and other insects, for food for the young. However, they are still aggressive...notice I said LESS aggressive...and will attack when provoked and to protect the nest.

Of interesting note. This year I have had the LEAST number of hornets nesting on my deck. Every summer I am constantly at battle with hornets, usually Yellow Jackets, who like to nest on the rails of my deck and this year I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack thereof. This likely explains it. And so in a sense I am thankful for the helpful presence and yet...they cannot stay.

Needless to say....we will be doing some exterminating tonight!

I miss Andrew

Andrew is coming home from camp tomorrow. Good thing too, because I miss him SO much!

more pics...same trip

Pictures from our D.C. trip