131 replies to this topic

[ponerinecat]

 

 

 

Those hornets are just giant ants that can sting and fly. Change my mind.

Most wasps don't have constricted petioles like ants.

 

Anatomical differences don't matter to someone unaware of them. To the common person they will just be another species of hornet, simply a larger and scarier version of the Vespa we have here. No matter how big or destructive pretty much all wasps will be hated by people for what appears to be unbridled hostility and a painful sting. Even if they lack the qualities that make wasps so hated by people, say potter wasps or cicada killers, they will still bear the reputation of their relatives.

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but I fail to see the connection with your comment and mine, and why mine was taken in such seriousness. It didn't appear to me that Temperateants was being completely serious.

 

Yeah I know. Just thought it was somewhat relevant, being that wasps will always be hated no matter what they are.

[TheMicroPlanet]

Poor, misunderstood things (meanwhile, I still freak out if any get within 3 feet of me)

[RushmoreAnts]

I like them, but I just don't like the thought of being stung. So basically,  I respect them by keeping my distance. 

[NickAnter]

Poor, misunderstood things (meanwhile, I still freak out if any get within 3 feet of me)

I have the same reaction haha. And because of it, I have never been stung by anything.

[Temperateants]

I always assumed people get stung by doing something stupid, but are wasps that mean? I don't think they are.

[NickAnter]

Its mostly mental for me. I know they probably won't sting me. Its really a bit of a phobia to me.

[NickAnter]

I'm pretty sure that these hornets are that mean though.

[Mdrogun]

It would kinda suck to be attacked by a colony of these, but overall it seems like the only thing they pose a threat to is the bee industry. Our native bees will probably quite enjoy their presence.

[ponerinecat]

I'm pretty sure that these hornets are that mean though.

Nope.

[ponerinecat]

I always assumed people get stung by doing something stupid, but are wasps that mean? I don't think they are.

Nope #2

[OhNoNotAgain]

I had no idea "murder wasps" would become the laughingstock of American social media, or else I might not have even posted the article. Glad at least here in this forum it's discussed more in terms of the world of insects than the world of politics.

 

Anyway I posted a semi-followup in the Bees General section, about how Asian honeybees have a defense that European honeybees do not.

 

https://www.formicul...ornet/?p=145001

[RushmoreAnts]

Its mostly mental for me. I know they probably won't sting me. Its really a bit of a phobia to me.

Yeah. Today when I was working with my Pogonomyrmex, a few workers crawled on my hands, and I didn't get stung once, because I was diligent in brushing them off right away. The only way you're going to get stung by anything is acting threatening AND being in VERY close proximity to the individual/colony.

[mbullock42086]

IMO these were intentionally released to harm agriculture in the USA to further damage our economy.

  If these spread our only defense is importing the japanese honeybee-  I'm sure most of you know this already, but the european honeybee has no defense against this wasp.  The JAPANESE honeybee, however, clusters on scouts and furiously buzz to cook the wasp before it can mark the beehive.  These will decimate native bees too.  they are bad bad news.  will attack other animals too, these guys will prey on birds, mice, lizards, any kind of meat they can find.  VERY bad invasive.

[mbullock42086]

 

I always assumed people get stung by doing something stupid, but are wasps that mean? I don't think they are.

Nope #2

 

Yes they are.  People in japan are terrified of them.  They blast you with a pheromone spray and it alerts the rest of them and they will single you out and chase you.  HORNETS man, cmon now.  they're legendary for their aggression.  Otherwise Beedrill wouldn't be in pokemon lol

 

 

I'm pretty sure that these hornets are that mean though.

Nope.

 

They are fierce in protecting their nest.  Way meaner than the european hornet.  I saw video of some spraying a dude with pheromones to mark him for death, basically.  to my knowledge the japanese giant hornet is the same species and is infamous for seriously injuring beekeepers.

[Temperateants]

If we get rid of the european bees, then we can start over with the japanese bees and set more stringent regulations. Also, are there native bee breeding programs?

[ArmyAntz]

I'm confused, is the murder hornet the same thing as the Japanese Giant Hornet? If so then it will be a huge problem here, those things are massive and deadly, and very aggressive. 

[Antkid12]

I'm confused, is the murder hornet the same thing as the Japanese Giant Hornet? If so then it will be a huge problem here, those things are massive and deadly, and very aggressive. 

yup same thing... 

[Serafine]

I'm confused, is the murder hornet the same thing as the Japanese Giant Hornet? If so then it will be a huge problem here, those things are massive and deadly, and very aggressive. 

It's the japanese giant hornet. The "murder hornet" name is just the usual american media fearmongering/dramatization because apparently just calling it asian giant hornet isn't enough to get people to panic-buy/panic-click.

Fear sells (that's basically US mainstream media in a nutshell).

[ArmyAntz]

 

I'm confused, is the murder hornet the same thing as the Japanese Giant Hornet? If so then it will be a huge problem here, those things are massive and deadly, and very aggressive. 

 

Fear sells (that's basically US mainstream media in a nutshell).

Sounds about right lol

[ponerinecat]

 

 

I always assumed people get stung by doing something stupid, but are wasps that mean? I don't think they are.

Nope #2

 

Yes they are.  People in japan are terrified of them.  They blast you with a pheromone spray and it alerts the rest of them and they will single you out and chase you.  HORNETS man, cmon now.  they're legendary for their aggression.  Otherwise Beedrill wouldn't be in pokemon lol

 

 

I'm pretty sure that these hornets are that mean though.

Nope.

 

They are fierce in protecting their nest.  Way meaner than the european hornet.  I saw video of some spraying a dude with pheromones to mark him for death, basically.  to my knowledge the japanese giant hornet is the same species and is infamous for seriously injuring beekeepers.

 

Yeah, no. Hornets will only turn aggressive if the individual or the nest feels threatened. They're legendary and people are definitely scared of them, but there are people scared of cockroaches and mice as well. Phobias without much reason besides small personal experiences and social culture influence. We're taught by others at a young age to fear some animals and not others. As for the pheromone spraying, literally every single eusocial wasp does, but only when the nest is threatened. Heck if you bond with the wasps they will leave you alone even if in close proximity with the nest, though that would be a very impressive feat with such territorial hornets as these. Seriously injuring beekeepers? Bees are also known to do so and there are many reports of bees killing people. So from the track record bees are deadlier than these. I'm also pretty sure they attacked the beekeeper because they tried to interfere with the wasps or outright destroy them.