Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: CLOSED: A question about hornets, 1 by back40bean

back40bean wrote:
We had a good hard rain yesterday (so nice!) which flushed some dead pine boughs from a tree. I picked up a clump to remove it from a path but stepped back when I saw a hornet. Looking more closely I noticed more of them. I took the pics today. I don't think their nest blew from the tree but wonder if the debris is blocking an entrance to their underground nest. They are very intent on their work, I was able to get to within about 4' without alarming them, and there are a lot of them working at whatever they are doing. Any ideas? I've also thought of pushing the pile with a garden rake. If I can identify a nest I would probably poison it, they are too close to where we walk. (Although I was not previously aware of them, so what's that about?)