"Buzzzzzzzzzzz" by maggiemai

Photography • Horror • posted on Aug 09, 2005

Open full image in new tab Zoom on image

Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.

Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.

Description

Something a little different! :-) Sorry this is so large but I wanted you to be able to see these black and white wasps. :-) They are called Bald or White Faced Hornets and I found this fancy colored hive in the back of an old truck bed that was standing up on end. hehe :-) Enjoy and "Happy Hump Day" to all!!! :-) ((((hugs)))) ~*~maggie~*~ White-faced hornets live in large colonies of 50 to 2000 individuals. They often build aerial nests on or around human dwellings. Stinging incidents often occur when man accidentally disturbs a nest while engaged in yardwork or house repairs. The white-faced hornet is rare in Europe, but is of great importance in the North American continent. They are a large (>15 mm) black and ivory wasp and not really a hornet at all. White faced hornets take mostly live prey. They prey on many varieties of insects, including the smaller species of yellowjackets. They have a particular affinity for flies, and have been known to dive-bomb small, dark objects such as nailheads or even the moles on people's skin, thinking they were flies. This can be quite unnerving, to have a hornet swoop down on your mole, wart or other dark spot and head-butt it fiercely, but it will quickly figure out that it hasn't found what it's looking for and fly away. IgE-mediated reactions often present as large local reactions with swelling extending from the sting site. They sometimes include anaphylactic reactions with common symptoms such as urticaria, flushing and angioedema as well as more serious respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms . The reactions can be fatal. Reactions can be both of the immediate and/or delayed type. It lives in wooded regions. The nests are constructed of a paper-like material formed from chewed wood. This species constructs almost exclusively gray football-shaped aerial nests attached to trees and buildings (but they may exceen a basketball in diameter or even the nest may grow to be larger by the end of the summer). The nests can often have streaks of colors in them from the different painted woods used in construction. You are very lucky to have the chance to watch a colony of bald-faced hornets (Dolichovespula maculata) at close range. They are fascinating and fun to watch. We in North America are lucky to have the bald-faced hornet native to our continent alone. :-) http://www.cirrusimage.com/Bald-faced_hornet.htm http://sphs.angeltowns.net/A_R_Wehrle/wasps/dmaculata.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldfaced_hornet

Comments (31)

cloughie

7:01AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Ace work from a very brave Lady! Lovely capture Maggie...especially as the wasps are either building or repairing the nest! I worked in Insect Control for many years and am an ardent 'bug' fan!!!! Cheers! Alan. xxx

)

diomedes66

7:41AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Magnificent work from a quite brave lady - I hope you have a very looooooong lense :-) Superb!

)

oscilis

8:00AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Quite a description! I like the black underneath and the texture of the nest too.

)

Georges_H_Hoens

8:28AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Thnkas for all those explanations, A fabulous shot and... a risky business too... A friend was bitten on the tongue by such fellow; a doctor had to practice a tracheoctomy on the spot otherwise he died choked! Excellent capture!

)

wile1

8:52AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Don't think I've ever seen this type hornet before, fact is I try to avoid all types of hornets! :D Wonderful photo maggie, Pretty brave of you to even get close enough to take this. Lovely work, the hive is truely a thing of art. hugs..

)

ppetersen

9:15AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Wow... amazing... truely a fantastic shot. Phenominal... I can't believe shots like this, they are just so clear and you can see every single detail... there are how many dots on the one in the forefront.. Yep you can see each one and count it too... Amazing Mags!!!!

PhotoSmith

9:25AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

It looks like several put their faces on backwards this morning. Well, I know the feeling. A wonderful macro!

geneb19

9:36AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

awesome work Mags!!! the 2nd thought to go thru my head was "No damned way I'd get that close!". lol of course the 1st thought was "Fantastic!". SEE??? i DO think once in a while! lmao ok, ok...so it's actually AI. ;-) wonderful work dear Maggie!!

)

Akinom

11:25AM | Tue, 09 August 2005

What a find, Maggie! Gorgeously captured! Brava! You're very brave to get so close!

soulofharmony

12:32PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

awesome macro simpley awesome :)

)

tibet2004uk

12:33PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Now that's a great find indeed!! These 'lil fellas are so fascinating to watch, just like ants! Thx for sharing this dear! :)

)

Zacko

2:47PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

SHIVERS!!!!!! This is freaking me out, lol. Last year we had the hugest "wasp-ball" in our addict, and they managed to chew their way through the roof into the bedroom....could wake up and see 10 giant wasps on my pillow...EEEEWWWWW!!! The exterminator didnt even wanna take care of it. Putting it in the horror-genre sure seems fitting to me, lol. Excellent work my friend...and again ive outdone my rambling i see..YAAAAY for me! Sigh...sooo pathetic. Have a wonderful day #:O)

L8RDAZE

7:04PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Hornets are NASTY! Don't know HOW ya go so close! They are not to be messed with! We had a nest of 'em in a swing-set when I was a kid! When the get mad RUN!!!!

)

Richardphotos

8:40PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

they can not be too bad if they kill yellow jackets but all the same they should stay away from my house! while painting a houseI ran across a yellowjacket nest that completly filled a hollow log that was about 12' in diameter and 24' long. I got stung trying to kill them. I told the owner call a bug man because I learned my lesson. he took back to the office"the log" to display because he had never seen one so large. you was brave to take this picture and and excellent one at that

)

maggiemai

8:49PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Brave or crazy! lol Anything to get the picture?? I'm sure you all do the same thing.. LOL Thank you so much for your kind comments!! And for making me laugh! :D (((hugs)))

)

jocko500

9:59PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

lol hope you ok that very dangous getting in close like that . but it is a very super image

)

Buzzzzz

10:47PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Whatttttttttttt?? Oh! Excellent Shot!

)

Margana

10:59PM | Tue, 09 August 2005

Uhhhh maybe THEY do but I most certainly do not!To me you are the bravest woman I know right now.I wouldn't go near that thing with a ten-foot pole!Even if he were armed and ready to protect me!(Okay bad pun,lol.)Cool shot Maggie,but honestly,EWWWWWWW!LOL!HUGZ!-M :)

)