Hornets: Gentle Giants!

After finishing Stieg Larsson the third I'm still none the wiser about the hornet(s).  But  thanks to the sweetest website in the world (they really do appreciate you visiting their site; it says so right at the top), which is dedicated to fighting some of the bad press given to them,  I'm quite a lot the wiser about hornets per se.

I'm sure you've heard the sorts of ugly rumours which the team behind Hornets: Gentle Giants! are concerned about:

"Seven hornet-stings kill a horse, three an adult and two a child ". Such neighbourhood myths, held for generations, have led to the hornet becoming quite rare in many area of Germany, due to merciless human pursuit

If you click the link (and why haven't you yet?) you'll find loads of information about hornets, like where you can find them (The hornet lives throughout most of Europe, but is never found north of the 63rd parallel. It is also found in Asia, the United States and Canada. Meanwhile also in Guatemala.) There are also some instructions for building a hornet box (suitable for the settling and requartering of hornet peoples), as well as a very specific description of the first year in the hornet life-cycle:  November 5th. The last worker of the colony dies during a frosty autumn night.


Meanwhile, also in Guatemala:

Hornets dismember captured insects with their powerful mandibles removing head, legs, wings and abdomen. Only the thorax, with the proteinaceous flight musculature, is transported as little meatballs to the nest and fed to the larvae

 Even the description of their predatorary behaviour is unbelievably endearing.  I mean we all need to eat, right?  And how can you not feel at least a tiny bit warm and fuzzy about an animal whose favourite food is little insect-thorax meatballs?

I love it, and I'm not the only one.  Here's a testimonial:

Hello, I would like very much to congratulate you on your web site. I have had hornets living with me, in the roof of our home near Oxford, England, this summer, and they have you to thank for their survival. I first noticed that we had hornets in mid-summer, with one or two appearing at lights both indoors and out. Looking around the house I discovered their nest in an relatively isolated part of the roof. The nest at that time appeared to be only half constructed. My initial reaction was one of panic, and immediately visited the local hardware store to purchase large quantities of powder and foam wasp killer. However, I decided that I would research these beautiful creatures on the web before doing anything and I am really glad that I did. The foam and powder remains unused. I attach a few photographs I have taken. The ones of the hornets themselves were taken in beautiful early morning sunlight, when they were still a little chilled by the night air.

And also....

Thank you for your lovely web page. Today I saw a hornet in the Bare forest,by the big lake and I was very frightened but now I have read your page, I'm am only a little frightened.

Jasmine, age 7