[LEPS-L:7917] Re: Killer Yellowjackets?

Ron Gatrelle gatrelle at tils-ttr.org
Sun Nov 19 00:38:50 EST 2000


Not knowing much about Yellowjackets, let me ask this. How large can their
nests get in the wild? In the most massive and fatal attacks I have read of
(i.e. a guy whose wheel chair wheel sunk in one) the size of the nesting
area must have been pretty large. I saw one nest on the bank of a logging
road in Macon Co. NC that looked about 6 feet long (several entrances). As I
approached they were very visible so I passed on the far side of the road
(no more than 12 feet away). There was no problem.

In my yard the nests have been small (I seem to only discover them while
mowing the lawn). They first get me when I'm at least 8 feet away. Could
this be partly due to the lawnmower's vibrations through the ground? Our
Lily pond's Blue Gills and Gold Fish know we are coming to feed them by foot
vibration. Being in the lawn area, I flush them out so they can't become
large dens. These and nesting bumble bees are the only ones I ever have a
problem with.

My fool proof test method to determine fly/bee mimics is to simply grab
them. Once in my closed fist, if it is a bee I get stung. Not too bright but
it works. My local favorite is a fat little all black bee that looks like a
fly but packs a medium strength sting. When the yellow flowers are in bloom,
the lower part of the abdomen and rear end become all yellow from the
pollen -- very cute little critters. By the way, all our monarch and black
swallowtail larvae this year fell prey to mostly wasps. This year in
particular, the spiders, wasps, lizards, and dragonflies were so numerous
that it was a rare butterfly (or very large one) that lived more than a day
or two in our wildflower garden.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Gochfeld" <gochfeld at eohsi.rutgers.edu>
To: "Ron Gatrelle" <gatrelle at tils-ttr.org>; "Leps-l" <Leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2000 9:04 PM
Subject: Killer Yellowjackets?


> I was intrigued with Ron's report that Yellowjackets have an attack
> distance of 10-15' from the nest.  That is greater than our experience
> in southern New York or New Jersey where the attack distance is more
> like 2-3 feet.  My Yellowjacket stings have usually come when I
> inadvertently (surprise) stepped near or on an unseen nest. Then 3-5
> stings would be the norm.
>
> Here Yellowjacket nests are almost always under ground, although
> occasionally in a log pile.  We had a nest in the broken headlight
> molding of a car that was resting for severa months in our driveway.
>
> I understand that in other parts of the range they regularly nest above
> ground.
>
> M GOCHFELD
>


 
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