Locust Eating Hornets...

9 years ago

I'm having a problem with huge yellow hornets known locally as Locus Eating Hornets (with 10 penny nails for stingers). :-) I don't mind if it were just a few but there are tons of them. Just about every time I go to the hives I see from one to four grabbing honey bees in mid air or trying to get inside a hive. I tried to follow them to find the nest but can't. I sit at the hives with a zapper swatter and must have killed 50 to 75 in less than an hour but it isn't making a dent. I put out a zapper light tonight and can hear it popping. There must be 15 to 20 in the cage already. They look mean but I've never been stung by them. They strip off bark from Lilacs to build their nest. I've had large numbers of migrating flycatchers before. Although they hover over hives and take bees they are not a serious problem, After a couple days, I hung a large piece of heavy aluminum from a branch and they left. But I don't know what to do about these hornets. Has anyone ever had this problem?

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Comments (4)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
There is a species of solitary wasp called a Cicada Killer. They do prey on cicadas, paralyze them, then bury them in the soil with the eggs of their larvae who will feed on it.

However, it sounds more like you are describing the large European hornet, which do nest communally. These are the wasps that strip bark from trees, devour fruit hanging on the tree, and will maraud honeybee hives.

They hide their nests, perhaps in a hollow tree or similar. You haven't been stung because they are very slow to do so. The Cicada killer is like that, too. Both are very large insects with an exceedingly painful sting but very hesitant to use their stingers.
EdGallop
Original Author
9 years ago
Here is a YouTube of one eating a Cicada. Fast forward to 1 minute 15 seconds to see it return after the kill.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hornet...
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
I believe that the video is of a Cicada Killer wasp. It will drag its prey to an in ground nest chamber. She won't eat it herself.

It wouldn't be at all unusual for you to be observing the activities of both of these insects. Clearly, you have both on your property.

A warning, don't let anyone go barefoot! That's how I managed to get stung by a Cicada Killer some years ago. Yeouch!
EdGallop
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks rhizo. I followed them about a quarter mile into a wooded area but couldn't find the nest. About 10 years ago, when I burned down a rotten 15' tree stump, they came out in large numbers, so I know where to look. If I find the tree I'll cut it down but it is a very large forest. Anyway, I set up a bug zapper to run at night and it had close to a dozen in it this morning. They fly at night too. A couple were still moving after being electrocuted. Tough devils. They are still snatching my bees in mid air. In all, I likely killed nearly a hundred in 24 hours but didn't make a dent in their population. One tried to enter the hive but was driven off. It could be fatal for a weak hive. While cleaning the zapper I dumped out a stunned moth (looked like a wax moth) and a small yellow jacket ground bee came in, grabbed it, and flew away carrying it. The moth was twice it's size. Glad I have strong hives. Thanks again for your reply and I will not allow barefooting. Bet that did hurt.