Help with Butterfly-predacious Hornets

Doug Yanega dyanega at mono.icb.ufmg.br
Sun Oct 19 15:55:13 EDT 1997


>I am seeking information on eliminating a large,  orange-yellow
>colored hornet which frequently preys on butterflies which are
>attracted to a butterfly bush in my yard.

Probably not a hornet, but a type of digger wasp, instead.

>I would appreciate any info pertaining to the typical nest-site
>(location and discreption),  for these hornets as I have been unable
>to locate a nest.  Any info regarding these hornets daily flight-range
>may also be helpful in locating the nest/s.

Holes in the ground, one wasp in each, sometimes scattered all over
creation, but also sometimes in clumps. Got sandy soil around? Like, say,
within a half-mile radius? That's where to start. Could be anywhere from
one to a few hundred nests. They probably eat things besides butterflies,
as well.

>Unless these hornets are on some endangered species list,  I would
>like to put them nearer to one !

They're probably rarer and more threatened than most of the butterflies in
your garden, that's for sure. Me, I'd be absolutely thrilled to have the
wasps, but that's a personal choice as a scientist.

Peace,

Doug Yanega    Depto. de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas,
Univ. Fed. de Minas Gerais, Cx.P. 486, 30.161-970 Belo Horizonte, MG   BRAZIL
phone: 031-448-1223, fax: 031-441-5481  (from U.S., prefix 011-55)
                  http://www.icb.ufmg.br/~dyanega/
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82




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