Please help I.D. This particular one that is attracted to the bird house that is made of wood. I found it hanging on the wood in two different occasion during the day. I was wondering if they pose any threat to the birds inside? The wasp is rather large compared to most wasps I've seen.
Bald faced hornet - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald-faced_hornet
Chews up wood to make 'paper' for nest.
Many thanks.
I had a really huge hornet nest up in a tree - did a little research on them and discovered if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. Not like those mean old yellow jackets.
Sternhill, lol. I was just thinking where the impression "Mad as a hornet" derived from. You sure they will not behave like yellow jackets do? LOL My husband sure doesn't like the idea of YJs either, for he has been stung by them before. Luckily, I haven't encountered those angry wasps head on. Knock on woods. Oh yes, I think I saw a new nest being build on a tree earlier today.
I never had a bit of trouble with the hornets... think of "mad as a hornet" paired with 'stirring up a hornet's nest' as I think the former was caused by the latter. All I can say is that if even one YJ is in my yard, it will try to find me and sting me. They HURT! and they are MEAN! I keep a tube of Sting-Eze in the cabinet, just in case.
I also have red wasps and hornets and other bee/wasp type critters but they don't bother me and I don't bother them. I do put up YJ traps every year and I think they work. You have to put them up early as you want to trap the queen, early, before they build their nests. I really hate them. They keep me from enjoying my garden, from working in my garden... and the sting is painful.
