samboy Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Hi gang. Just heard a buzzing in the bedroom and thought it was a wasp. So i got a towel to swat it and it was the size of 3 bees. I got Henry out and got him 1st go. I assume this was a hornet, can't show a pic as i'm not going to chance getting him out of henry. Any thoughts ?. Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 First thought is why kill it? Seems wholly unnecessary. Second thought is yes, it probably was a hornet, although it's late in the year for them. Next time just open a window and direct it towards it. They're pretty docile creatures and can rarely be bothered to attack in defence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy H Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 There are a lot about this year , We have a nest next door and if you leave a window open with a light on in the room you will end up with a wayward late returnee in the room from dusk onwards , Make's for a surprise when you go to brush your teeth and there is a whopping great hornet sat on top of the brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windswept Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Plenty of hornets around here still, I always thought they would carry on going to the first frosts. It's also been a very warm autumn which will keep them active. The other thing it could be is a queen wasp looking for a place to hibernate. It's hard to know the size as there's no standard size for a honey bee. I'm another vote for not killing them, I'm not just a hornet hugger but people seem to stand more of a chance of getting stung but trying to kill things. Either open a window and encourage it out or use the glass and card method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptC Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 1 hour ago, chrisjpainter said: First thought is why kill it? Seems wholly unnecessary. Second thought is yes, it probably was a hornet, although it's late in the year for them. Next time just open a window and direct it towards it. They're pretty docile creatures and can rarely be bothered to attack in defence. I've been stung on two occassions by a hornet and it hurts - both times my fault for trying to swat them. As said, try and encourage them to leave through an open window or door. Their size might be intimidating but be brave and don't kill them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrepin Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) @Ditchman is yer expert on here, well on stings anyway🤕 Edited October 4, 2023 by Centrepin Punctuation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipper Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Went to a Bee experience near Chorley guy said hornets that come over vie France Eat about 60 Bees a day. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 10 minutes ago, dipper said: Went to a Bee experience near Chorley guy said hornets that come over vie France Eat about 60 Bees a day. . Asian Hornet, not the native species. https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/diseases-and-pests/asian-hornet/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted October 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 Ok point taken about not killing them but i'd hate to be asleep and get stung by one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratlegs Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 In Gamekeeper and countryside magazine forty odd years ago, 'three hornet stings would kill a cart horse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmm243 Posted October 4, 2023 Report Share Posted October 4, 2023 I was upstairs yesterday on the phone and there was a queen wasp outside flying at all the windows looking (or so it seemed) for a gap to get in. I can only assume it was looking to get in to fiend a place to hibernate. When I lived at home, before I got married, we used to always keep the windows of the bed rooms open and every year queen wasps would come in and hibernate in the creases of the curtains. When I was a young lad I would go round all the bed rooms with a pair of scissors and cut them all in two. Don't like them a whole pile more now but wouldn't do that to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rim Fire Posted December 7, 2023 Report Share Posted December 7, 2023 I can actually see hornets flying at night with my thermal spotter they are quite large Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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