Butterfly-predacious Hornets

[J W]

Due to responses,  both here and via email,  resulting from my last
summer’s observations and report here,  of yellow-orange hornet
predation of small butterflies on a large Butterfly Bush in our
backyard,  the following brief of recent observations  is offered.  

1 -  The yellow-orange colored hornets may not eat the small butterfly
body on the tree branch they fly them to,  but may process them into a
pulp ball,  which they take to their nest,  for feeding their young or
other adults.

2  -  Confirming last summer’s suspicions that the more common black &
cream colored hornets may also take small butterflies,  I was
surprised to observe one take a  much larger,  black & blue colored
swallowtail day before yesterday.   After engaging the swallowtail on
a bloom,  the two tumbled down through the branches and leaves of the
butterfly bush to the ground.   With it’s tail curled over the top,
at the front of the butterfly,  the hornet chewed away the head and
approximately 1 third  to 1 half of of the thorax from the underside,
processed it into a pulp ball,  and flew it away from the site,
leaving the wings intact with the remainder of the body.  Unlike with
the yellow-orange hornets,  I was able to make this observation at
approximately two feet.

3  -  Yesterday I checked the spot where the above butterfly remains
had been,  and found they were gone.  This came as no surprise.  What
was surprising was that a close observation of the ground beneath the
butterfly bush today,  revealed no less than four,  and possibly five,
piles of yellow swallowtail butterfly wings,  or wings with bodies
less heads and portions of thorax,  as described above.  It also
revealed remains of one or two additional black & blue swallowtails.
One of the yellow swallowtails still had a few of its legs and they
were still moving.

4  -  In addition to seeing both yellow-orange,  and black & cream,
hornets searching over the bush today,  I also observed a
yellow-jacket following the same pattern of skimming over the blossoms
and bumping into any occupant there-on.  Having observed a
yellow-jacket take a candlefly a number of years ago,  I now fully
expect to observe one take a small butterfly.   

note:  To date,  I still have not heard of,  or seen,  any coverage of
the above subject beyond last summer’s report and its responses.  Some
may care to consider the subject for documenting or assignment.  If
so,  some attention may be given to how to discourage hornets from
taking butterflies from backyard buttryfly bushes,  or how to educate
them on the displeasure they cause the bush owner.  

While I am pro-ecology,  most people <self included> will wipe out a
hornets nest or yellow-jackets nest without hesitation.  Its difficult
for most to stand by and watch the harmless beautiful things they’ve
worked to attract,  be reduced by an element they will scarcely
tolerate under any circumstance.  Seems 
somewhat analogous to allowing the fox to ‘have at’ your phesants.

If I can be of help with more detail or questions,  here,  or via
email,  I will be pleased to try.

Warmth,

‘JW’ - in NC  <  dl4 at ols.net  >  note 2nd character is an ‘L’, not a
‘one’.