Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I have just been 'buzzed' by what I have tentatively identified as a hornet (it settled for a moment) towards the southern end of Underhill (around Langston) - as these are social hymenoptera (like wasps) if my identification is correct it won't be alone. Very large, very stridently coloured in a 'wasp+' livery, definitely not a wasp. The nest could be in Camberwell Old Cemetery - so walkers beware. If anybody does identify the nest, the council should be informed as the stings can be very painful.
Link to comment
https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/25091-warning-hornet/
Share on other sites

They are not killer beasts from hell, though, so no need for too much panic. The sting isn't very different from a wasp sting, and they are generally slower a stupider than most wasps. Also bigger and louder, so easier to spot!


My Mum used to cut them in half with scissors when they landed on the window-sill...

It?s funny how the sighting of a hornet can cause such panic, when they are the most docile of the social wasps, which will only sting if attacked. I guess they just can?t shake of their bad rep. Have a read of these links, one from Richard Jones, a local entomologist and the other from the Norfolk Wildlife Trust - hopefully they will help to reassure. I?m not sure why the council would need to get involved by the way, as they pose no threat. Would you like them to destroy the nest? If you do, then they have previous, as this is what happened in Dulwich Park last year when a nest was discovered in the ?Nature Conservation? area of the park.


http://www.gardenersworld.com/blogs/wildlife/hornets/3203.html


http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/Documents/Species-Leaflets/WF_Hornet.pdf

It is, of course, true that hornets (like most UK wildlife) won't attack people unless they feel threatened (or unless their nest is threatened) - however, also like most of the social hymenoptera (even the even-tempered ones), if they do feel threatened they can 'call-in' nest mates to assist. A lone hornet is less of an issue, but if one close to a nest gets over-excited then they can mass-attack. Being stung by a hornet is a lot wore than being stung by a wasp. I am sure readers of this forum won't upset hornets, though dogs they are walking may be less well advised. If a nest is close, for instance, to a play-ground or school then extermination may still be the best (safest) option.


I am happy for any reader to ignore my warning, or belittle it if it makes them happy.

After a quick online search the first photo looks like Volucella zonaria, as the first segment on the body is chestnut coloured. Can't see this clearly on the second photo to positively id - I'm no hoverfly expert, but I guess they are the same species? Apparently quite common in London.


http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/insects-and-invertebrates/13933-volucella-zonaria.html

minder Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can anyone identify jamesb and itowill's photos?



I posted some photos on the nature thread in ED section re identifying bees and hoverflies and was informed that hoverflies have only one pair of wings unlike bees and wasps and hornets which have two - researching this myself I found there are hundreds of different hoverflies many of which mimic bees/wasps to deter predators.

I found this attached to the windscreen I believe it to be a horse fly it was so big I could not remove it on my own. On a serious note when I am bundu bashing in the bush I always spray myself with 'listerine' mouth wash. It keeps all those critters at bay they hate the smell of it. Even horse fly's which when I have seen them buzzing under the tree canopy they are a bloody sight massive I have been told they aim for the jugular!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • I see a gap in the market and a stall in North Cross Road...
    • The lack of affordable housing is down to Thatcher's promoting sale of council properties. When I was working, I had to deal with many families/older folk/ disabled folk in inferior housing. The worst ones were ex council properties purchased by their tenants  with a very high discount who then sold on for a profit. The new owners frequently rented out at exorbitant prices and failed to maintain the properties. I remember a gentleman who needed to be visited by a district nurse daily becoming very upset as he rented a room in an ex council flat and shared kitchen and bathroom with 6 other people  (it was a 3 bed flat) the landlord did not allow visitors to the flat and this gut was frightened he would be evicted if the nurse visited daily. Unfortunately, the guy was re admitted to hospital and ended up in a care home as he could not receive medical help at home.   Private developers  are not keen on providing a larger percentage of 'social housing' as it dents their profits. Also a social rent is still around £200 plus a week
    • Hello, I was wondering if others have had experience of roof repairs and guarantees. A while back, we had a water leak come through in our top floor room.  A roofer came and went out on the roof to take a look - they said it was to do with a leak near the chimney.   They did some rendering around the chimney and this cost £1800 plus £750 for scaffolding (so £2,550 total).  They said the work came with a 10 year guarantee. About a year later, there was another leak on the same wall, which looked exactly the same size and colour as the previous leak. But it was about 2 metres away from it, on the other side of a window.  I contacted the roofer about this new leak, thinking it would be covered by the guarantee. However, he said the new leak was due to a different and unrelated problem, and so was not covered by the guarantee. This new leak, he said, was due to holes in the felt underneath the tiles. He said there are holes in the felt all over the roof (so if this was the cause, I expect the first leak may have been caused by that too - but he didn't mention the holes in the felt for the first repair). It feels like the 10-year guarantee doesn't mean much at all.  I realise that the guarantee couldn't cover all future problems with the roof, but where do you draw the line with what's reasonable?  Is it that a leak is only covered if an identical leak happens in exactly the same place?  There were no terms and conditions with the guarantee, which I didn't question at the time.  
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...