Butterfly-predacious Hornets

[J W]

dyanega at mono.icb.ufmg.br (Doug Yanega) wrote:

>>The aforementioned 'yellow and orange' Hornets still keep their
>>nesting habitrs secret from me.  One educator ventured that this
>>hornet may be the 'old world' hornet,  'Vespa',  and may not build a
>>nest in the open,  but possibly in the ground.  Note - This Hornet is
>>slightly larger than the common Black and Cream colored hornet,  which
>>builds a grey,  spherical nest in trees.

>Actually, I believe Vespa crabro (the European Hornet) makes nests in
>trees, rather than in the ground. The other species you have is the
>Bald-faced Hornet, Dolichovespula maculata. At least you now know their
>identities, for future reference.

>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: 031-449-2579, 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

Doug,  as I am likely the only one who didn't know the hornets
identities,  I'm especially pleased to get your info.  Thank you also,
for your input on Vespa crabro nest locations.  I still have no
confirmation  that Vespa crabro is the yellow-orange Hornet I
observed.

Of possible interest - Today after observing a Bald-Faced Hornet take
a Tiger Swallowtail and complete the processing described earlier,  I
became curious as to what a hornet's reaction would be to finding the
body remains with wings intact,  used as a decoy.  I placed the
remains,  wings open,   on a blossom.  Within 2-3 minutes,  a
Bald-Faced Hornet engaged the carcass and tumbled with it through the
leaves,  to the ground .  The Hornet then processed a pulp ball from
the thorax,  and flew off with it just as with the fresh kill.

Now wondering about the acceptibility of a small section of
pipe-cleaner,  silk wings,  and a micro-burger ball .

Like your 'tag-line'.

Warmth,

'JW'