More Strange Yellow Jacket Goings-On

[Tess]

CNN.com has a free video about a giant above-ground yellow jacket nest that appeared in South Georgia. It is 6 feet tall and attached to a tree hovering over the water on a lake. The residents there say that they have never seen an-above ground yellow jacket nest before.

I never did hear back from the UT entomologist (Dr. Skinner) that I contacted about my above ground nest. Guess he wasn't sufficiently interested in what I thought was strange.

Just seems curious to me that yellow jackets are changing from their usual ways of nesting.

You can see the video about the Georgia YJs by going to CNN.com and looking at the middle of the page for the video link. The GA nest looks very irregular and quite different from the one in my yard. My YJs have made a nest similar to a hornet nest, only smaller.

[~Rumormonger~]

CNN.com has a free video about a giant above-ground yellow jacket nest that appeared in South Georgia. It is 6 feet tall and attached to a tree hovering over the water on a lake (yadda, yadda, yadda...yadda, yadda, yadda) I never did hear back from the UT entomologist (Dr. Skinner) that I contacted about my above ground nest. (yadda, yadda, yadda...yadda, yadda, yadda) Just seems curious to me

Obviously, to remove any official confirmation of their existence, the aliens from the planet Yelojakia have captured and entoombed the one entomologist who could have thwarted their dastardly plan to take over Planet Earth ;~)

[Tess]

whatever. (Oh, and you forgot to insert a derogatory comment about W. Knox.)

[metulj]

Just seems curious to me that yellow jackets are changing from their usual ways of nesting.



Rikki?

[~Rumormonger~]

whatever. (Oh, and you forgot to insert a derogatory comment about W. Knox.)

West Knox sux

[earlnemo]

I discovered a yellow jacket nest right behind my house a while ago. I kept meaning to get up early and spray it, but then when I did I noticed something had started digging it up. The prime suspect is the bold little coon that steals catfood off the porch. Over the course of a few days, coon dug those basturds up and left the paper combs licked clean at the edge of the crater. Dude!

Yesterday I noticed there is a nest in my block foundation where the outside spigot comes out of the house. I went inside and looked; no nest, so they must be inside the block core.

I have found 3 more nests on walks in the woods recently, without even searching. There is a bumper crop of yellow jackets out here this year. Otoh, I have not seen a single hornet's nest and very few paper wasps. Cycles.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/earlnemo/571df0c5.jpg

[Raincrow]

It's a bear. They're coming closer to the cities, you know. Don't let that girl go outside by herself.

[Manovinyl]

or honey badger

[JMG]

My Mom has a ground nest right next to her mailbox. Don't look strange or anything though.

[t3p]

.. There is a bumper crop of yellow jackets out here this year.

after a bumper crop of fireflies

my son got stung yesterday. Those things hurt, i know all too well

[binR Bishop]

I discovered a yellow jacket nest right behind my house a while ago. I kept meaning to get up early and spray it, but then when I did I noticed something had started digging it up. The prime suspect is the bold little coon that steals catfood off the porch. Over the course of a few days, coon dug those basturds up and left the paper combs licked clean at the edge of the crater. Dude!



Probably skunks. They cleaned out some nests in our backyard last year. Too bad they didn't make it to the one in front before Keef did.

[earlnemo]

Probably skunks. They cleaned out some nests in our backyard last year. Too bad they didn't make it to the one in front before Keef did.


I don't have skunks often, but this coon is here all the time. But I did not see it happen, so it could have been Tater for all I know.


addenum: Fecking steamy. Got new blades on the mower. Epiphany to use an impact from the top instead of busted-knuckle double wrenching. Pulled the rope out of it when I started it. Screwed around with that !#%#&*! recoil spring for twenty minutes but won again. Got out in the valley by the bonfire and made two passes before it started raining. Slow at first, but then the big cold fuck you drops started. !#%#&*! Kept mowing. It stopped after 5 minutes and was nice and cool. Third win. After the valley I started into the tall fescue where they laid in the sewer line along the road last summer. Found some yellow jackets around that stupid stump those idiots left on the slope by the road. Finished that spot by aiming the mower, letting go and letting it run through while I circled wide. Scared the shit out of a lady driving by too fast in a minivan because she saw the mower lumbering along before she saw me chasing it. Screeched. Peed her pants, and it was warm, there, I bet... Kept going. I was grinning big, thinking about this big winning steak I'm on, started in on the hill where the old driveway was, when the sulky snapped off the back of the mower and made me bite my lip. There you go.

Reality.

[Hank IV]

It's a bear. They're coming closer to the cities, you know. Don't let that girl go outside by herself.

Yeah. Wouldn't want that bear to get hurt 'n shit.

[abalene]

we have a persistent nest under siege, but it's nothing compared to a few years ago when hoards of yellow jackets terrorized the entire neighborhood. seriously, that time would make a decent non-supernatural horror movie.

[earlnemo]

I spied the little mama coon on the porch last night and she had three cubs with her. Little guys. I'm going set the trap tonight. Anybody looking to adopt coon cubs? Can you eat warm weather coons? All 4 of my cats were lounging indifferently on the porch as the four coons huddled around the bowl getting kibble lessons. I miss my dog.

Found another dug-up yellow jacket nest further back in the yard yesterday. Also noticed that the muddy wallow hole in the valley where I'd seen a turtle laying eggs 2 days ago was reamed out and covered with coon tracks. Final straw. I'd rather have turtles than coons.

Big haircut coming this afternoon. You guys won't recognize me tomorrow.

[Hank IV]

I spied the little mama coon on the porch last night and she had three cubs with her. Little guys. I'm going set the trap tonight. Anybody looking to adopt coon cubs?

I usually let 'em loose down by Rikki's house.

[Raincrow]

I usually let loose down by Rikki's house.

"...coals to Newcastle."

[earlnemo]

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/2985/coon.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/580/coon.jpg/)


That was easy enough. And I got one of the babies. I wondered what I'd do if I had gotten the mama first. Transferring this one to a cat carrier and resetting. Let's see how quickly they learn. I might have the whole damn family by dawn, tails tied together & ready for Hank's front porch...

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Raincrow]

That was easy enough. And I got one of the babies. I wondered what I'd do if I had gotten the mama first. Transferring this one to a cat carrier and resetting. Let's see how quickly they learn....

If this is how you're doing it, I recommend a nice Oolong with the biscuits. They don't really go for Chai.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_laba6t18k01qenoj4o1_500.jpg

[Ripshod]

Hey Earl, would you like a second trap to perhaps speed the process up a bit? I have a borrowed one that I could re-lend if it would help.

[earlnemo]

Hey Earl, would you like a second trap to perhaps speed the process up a bit? I have a borrowed one that I could re-lend if it would help.

Yes, please. Are you around this afternoon?



http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/earlnemo/27f3a902.jpg


Long story short, mama coon showed up right after I posted this and baby cried for mama. After some deliberations, the jurors (my cats) conferred clemency on the cub. However, upon release of the prisoner, counsel for the defense (mama coon) express grave contempt for the court (see below). A warrant was issued for her arrest, and she was soon captured. After a lengthy trial, she was also pardoned and released, until such time as the court is capable of delivering swift justice (building my coon Guantanamo)

(evidence of contempt of court)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/earlnemo/7f2c7f54.jpg

[abalene]

ya know, if you keep leaving food out, there will be others to take her place.

[earlnemo]

ya know, if you keep leaving food out, there will be others to take her place.


Exactly. But I like letting my cats roam. What I am missing is the dog that kept coons (and other dogs) from trespassing.

[abalene]

Exactly. But I like letting my cats roam. What I am missing is the dog that kept coons (and other dogs) from trespassing.

i recall we spoke of your dogless state last time we met. yeah, a dog (or two) would keep most of the other critters away. cats and raccoons, oth, are usually the bestest of friends and tend to pal-up in all sorts of mischief. cats know (haha) the raccoons will get most, if not all, of the blame for any shenanigans.