Asian Giant Hornets Make North America

[Sako]

I wish people would be more careful about letting invasive species loose.
https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2019/12/huge-invasive-bee-killing-hornet-turns-up-in-washington-state.html

[lyman]

we have the Euro hornets here on the east coast

not a big as the Asian,,



https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1148

[Gun Smoke]

On a somewhat related subject we already have the Cicada Killer Wasp (someone stayed up all night thinking of that name). They also get to be about 2" and as the name implies they kill and eat cicada's. I've only seen one in my lifetime and it was in the act of doing what it's supposed to do.

While sitting on the back steps of my childhood farm house, our yard and field filled with mature pecan trees, the cicada's were making their usual annoying racket. One of them chirped loudly and a big blob fell to the ground. The wasp had stung the pest and road it to the ground. From there the wasp drug the insect to a watermelon, climbed it then took off flying with the cicada.

For those of you who know what a cicada is you know how large these things are. Even though the wasp is smaller it can fly, carrying the load. I thought I was seeing things till I looked it up in the encyclopedia.

Unlike the giant wasp mentioned above these critters pose no threat to humans or beneficial bugs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus

[lyman]

On a somewhat related subject we already have the Cicada Killer Wasp (someone stayed up all night thinking of that name). They also get to be about 2" and as the name implies they kill and eat cicada's. I've only seen one in my lifetime and it was in the act of doing what it's supposed to do.

While sitting on the back steps of my childhood farm house, our yard and field filled with mature pecan trees, the cicada's were making their usual annoying racket. One of them chirped loudly and a big blob fell to the ground. The wasp had stung the pest and road it to the ground. From there the wasp drug the insect to a watermelon, climbed it then took off flying with the cicada.

For those of you who know what a cicada is you know how large these things are. Even though the wasp is smaller it can fly, carrying the load. I thought I was seeing things till I looked it up in the encyclopedia.

Unlike the giant wasp mentioned above these critters pose no threat to humans or beneficial bugs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus

a few years ago my Mother has some surgery in the middle of the summer,

I took off the week she got out of the hospital and stayed at her place , to help out,

she had a bunch of Cow Killer Wasps, (also called Velvet Ants) living in the back yard

pretty bugs, and I made sure to keep the flip flops on when walking in the yard,


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutillidae

[Gun Smoke]

a few years ago my Mother has some surgery in the middle of the summer,

I took off the week she got out of the hospital and stayed at her place , to help out,

she had a bunch of Cow Killer Wasps, (also called Velvet Ants) living in the back yard

pretty bugs, and I made sure to keep the flip flops on when walking in the yard,


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutillidae

Also known as wingless wasp but somewhere I have one bottled up that had wings. They have a stinger that's about a 1/4". They exist world wide in different variants. What we have here are the Red Velvet Ants. Stepping on them (with shoes on) will usually not kill them. Their bodies are hard. Chemicals work well though and their bright colors give their presence away. They live in the ground so finding nest and eradicating them is out of the question.

The History Channel has a series out now called "The Kings of Pain". The velvet ant is one of the stars.

[Vern Humphrey]

You know, letting an invasive species loose ought to carry the death penalty.

And if the Three xxxxxxx are reading this, no, I'm not talking about executing your parents.

[Gun Smoke]

You know, letting an invasive species loose ought to carry the death penalty.

And if the Three xxxxxxx are reading this, no, I'm not talking about executing your parents.

Good one.

Even though we have a massive incurable python problem in Florida as far as I know foreign snakes are still allowed to be brought in and sold. I'm sure there's exclusions but why and WTF wants a damn snake for a pet?

[lyman]

Good one.

Even though we have a massive incurable python problem in Florida as far as I know foreign snakes are still allowed to be brought in and sold. I'm sure there's exclusions but why and WTF wants a damn snake for a pet?

Dad had one,

took him in trade for a 1911,

he was an undernourished Burmese Python when he got him
many rats, etc later, he was a bit over 9' and fat,

when Dad got to old and his dementia started up, we donated him to a place down in NC on the Outer Banks,

that's been every bit of 10 yrs ago, if not more,

no idea if he is still around, or now a pair of boots,

[Sunray]

"...someone stayed up all night thinking of that name..." It's worse than that. They went to school for years too.
"...to a watermelon..." Pffft! We have mosquitoes that would have taken the watermelon with 'em. Those moose aren't flying. They're being carried off by a mosquito or black fly. snicker.
"...bit over 9' and fat..." He wasn't fat and 9 feet isn't big for one of those. A Burmese Python can live for 20 years and can grow to 23 feet or more in length. However, are you sure pop didn't trade the 1911 for a revolver?

[lyman]

"...someone stayed up all night thinking of that name..." It's worse than that. They went to school for years too.
"...to a watermelon..." Pffft! We have mosquitoes that would have taken the watermelon with 'em. Those moose aren't flying. They're being carried off by a mosquito or black fly. snicker.
"...bit over 9' and fat..." He wasn't fat and 9 feet isn't big for one of those. A Burmese Python can live for 20 years and can grow to 23 feet or more in length. However, are you sure pop didn't trade the 1911 for a revolver?

no, he took the snake in trade, guy bought a 1911 from our shop

supposedly size is limited by the environment,
he was longer than his cage (glass store cabinet, 7foot long, maybe 2 foot wide, and almost 3 foot tall)

he could not stretch out in it,

[Gun Smoke]

are you sure pop didn't trade the 1911 for a revolver?

Wrong kind of python.