Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Yellow Jacket from Hell

I was in the garage this afternoon and suddenly heard a high pitched, loud buzz. Looking around I saw this humongous bee on the window of my garage door. Knowing that wasn't your everyday wasp or yellow jacket I grabbed the Raid Wasp and Hornet spray and saturated him. Look at the size of this dude compared to an ordinary yellow jacket!

Jap Hornet.

Possibly a queen, looking to start a new nest somewhere.

good use for #12 shot!

Looks like a blown out version, possibly an Ackley improved.

Probably a "cicada killer".

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

I think those have more of a reddish head than the one I killed today. I've seen those before and they're even a bit bigger than this one. I was standing on the front porch some years back and saw one hit a jar fly in mid air, brought him down within 10 feet in front of me and either stung or bit him and then flew off with him. That Jar fly was nearly twice his size but, he acted like he weighed no more than a tuft of cotton.

this one today looked more like a Yellow Jacket on steroids. Maybe the Japanese Hornet brought up before. Either way, I wouldn't want that dude getting under my collar.

Asian giant hornet.
Is this it?

Kitch, looks like you have a European hornet.

Exactly my thought. I wonder if they invaded the US.

Possibly a WeatherBee......groan.....

Nope, I don't think so. The back is marked a little different an the head around the eye don't look like that.

Jap hornet. Been in southeast several years. They got a good sting

My understanding is that the common European honey bee has no defense against them. The native Japanese honey bee, though, kills them by forming a ball of bees around them and vibrating to generate enough heat to cause the hornet, while simultaneously preventing its escape, to die of heat exhaustion.

I have heard they will kill honey bees. Don't know if it is gospel.

WOW!!!!That thing could take down a 747....

Whatever it bee, keep it down there ! I am allergic to those nasty bas**rds....

We were told they were Japanese hornets but I
Don't know if that's the correct name. My experience
With them was in north GA. Surveyed gov land there
For about 5 years. Seen them chewing on tree bark
Like a beaver had stripped it. Makes a nest in
Trees like hornets except it looks like an old paper
Grocery bag turned bottom side up.

It's gospel but, I think what I found today is not the Japanese Hornet...markings are different.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ1eAM8CChc

You may be right. Can't recall exact color scheme but the size is
A good fit. Jap hornets do resemble yellow jackets tho.