Wounded Hand

[Stere]

Allergic reaction to something?

 

Can hives be single isolated

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ABtrees]

43 minutes ago, Billhook said:

Very good call!  My father was a keen entomologist and lepidopterist and had a large collection of horse flies,  His favourite was Chrysops which is also known as a Deer Fly   Beautiful colouring and eyes.  Generally they buzz you first to test your response and then switch to stealth mode as you say  Could be but I could not think it had the time from my short walk from the car to the bench.

Deer fly - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

On the subject of Hornets, he was always fascinated by them.  Again at the lakeside I had chainsawed a seat from a large whole log, leaving most of the log intact.  It rotted in the middle over the years and one year a woman friend was sitting there while her dog was let loose.   It started to burrow at one end of the log, hornets appeared in the air and started squirting venom which is really time to run as the whole nest becomes animated!  The dog was stung several times and the woman once on her head.  Father showed little compassion when she came up to the house and wanted to examine her head for the wound where he found as he expected a slash left by the sting.

He though that the actual sting was not much more venomous than a wasp sting but that it was the slash that really made it hurt.

The Hornets are generally quite passive compared to Wasps except when provoked.  Father had a friend who would rehome Hornets nests from people houses and would carry them down without protection.  He used to say it was fine if you did not bump into anything on the way down!

I was not convinced of his story and a couple of years ago we had another Hornets nest in a pallet box of wood again by the lake near the cabin.  I thought that I would move it away with the Teleporter into the nearby wood.  I sealed the doors and every hole with duct tape and very very gently pushed the forks under the box.  No reaction from the Hornets.

So I waited a bit longer and ever so gently lifted the boom and the box but they were not having that and a cloud of Hornets appeared very agitated.   Interestingly none came for the cab or tried to come in.

I took the box to the wood but none followed and they stayed around the cabin eventually starting a new nest underneath.

I do feel that they are beneficial insect and loathe to kill them but I could not have them there with children and dogs around so I gave them a second chance.

Wasp killing powder is high in pyrethroid but ant powder only has a few percent.  I sprinkled a small amount at the entrance to where they were going in and the result was they all disappeared the next day and there was not one dead one.

 

 

 

Totally agree with your dad on the horseflies - I attach my crappy pictures of the same below - the compound eyes are fantastic.  Over here (France) we commonly get 5 or 6 types once the 'season' starts with the occasional 'special' !!!  The deer flies are either golden (with green eyes) or normal brown (with copper eyes and mottled brown wings).  Pleased to say I have never been bitten by the big fella - yet ! 

Have to say in my experience it definitely had time - I have had one settle and start to bite within 30 seconds of leaving my back door.  Were you wearing white/light coloured clothing as they seem to home in on this?

 

On the hornets I have to agree (again) - generally docile and by and large they will give you fair warning if you're to close for their comfort.  I have strimmed straight over the entrance hole of a nest and chainsawed into a fallen tree with a nest in.  On both occasions they came bundling out (maybe 40 or 50) and just flew around a few feet in front of me.  It felt like I was being 'assessed' - almost an 'Are you sure you want to carry on ?' moment !!!  We have the Asian version over here now - they are supposed to be much more aggressive but I haven't found this at all - so far !!!

 

[Billhook]

3 hours ago, ABtrees said:

 

 

Totally agree with your dad on the horseflies - I attach my crappy pictures of the same below - the compound eyes are fantastic.  Over here (France) we commonly get 5 or 6 types once the 'season' starts with the occasional 'special' !!!  The deer flies are either golden (with green eyes) or normal brown (with copper eyes and mottled brown wings).  Pleased to say I have never been bitten by the big fella - yet ! 

Have to say in my experience it definitely had time - I have had one settle and start to bite within 30 seconds of leaving my back door.  Were you wearing white/light coloured clothing as they seem to home in on this?

 

On the hornets I have to agree (again) - generally docile and by and large they will give you fair warning if you're to close for their comfort.  I have strimmed straight over the entrance hole of a nest and chainsawed into a fallen tree with a nest in.  On both occasions they came bundling out (maybe 40 or 50) and just flew around a few feet in front of me.  It felt like I was being 'assessed' - almost an 'Are you sure you want to carry on ?' moment !!!  We have the Asian version over here now - they are supposed to be much more aggressive but I haven't found this at all - so far !!!

 

Great photos!

Like some women I have known , strikingly beautiful but with an unpleasant side to them!

I have been bitten by one several times and although I may not have been aware of the settling and starting to bite there is definitely a Yeeowww moment but by the time you have reacted to swat they have buzzed off! ( the flies I am talking about!)

Edited May 21, 2021 by Billhook