Insects and Spiders

Spent the morning in Dedham Vale watching dragonflies and damisles

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Helped a slow worm across a tarmac path the other day to make sure he didn't get run over

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Sitting on my balcony in SE London and didn’t expect to watch several stag beetles flying around the trees. Look otherworldly against the sunset!

Think I read somewhere that SE London has the highest population of them

My Breadbin found a cracker down in the wilds of Sussex....

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Banded demoiselles out in force this weekend

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Oh, and how about the flamboyant paint job on this ruby-tailed wasp that was looking for a place to make a nest on the back of our house?

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We seem to have a load of hornets around at the moment, all about an inch and a half long, bad photo attached… yep to find the nest, but a few at a time are congregating on the end of an oak tree branch

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Saw lots of dragonflies and damselflies today. This one is a Four-spotted Chaser

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and this a Common Darter

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My sister recently went on holiday to Cornwall, cottage came with a free hornet’s nest. This is in the bottom of a pint glass for scale.

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Hornets scare me! Hard looking bastards

Me too, extra pointy! What's the received wisdom should one common across a hornet or even a nest? Twat the bastard?

Asian Hornets have their own gov.uk reporting app,
European Hornets, just try to avoid them.

Cheers. Not so keen on ever finding a nest with a 2yo running around.

Still really keen to see some stag beetles though, never have before. Sister in law had grubs in her garden last year.

Yeah, slightly worried with the amount we have around here, annoyingly I can't find the nest, so not sure whether to call someone out to take a look and see if a trained eye can work out where the nest is, we have lots of trees and piles of logs etc. don't really want to accidently disturb the nest...

Still really keen to see some stag beetles though

This time of year you usually hear them before you see them!

Aye, I've been keeping my ear out. The wildlife here has been great (relatively speaking). No rats, thankfully. But everything else you'd expect to see in suburban South London. Plus a couple of jays.

Oh, and how about the flamboyant paint job on this ruby-tailed wasp that was looking for a place to make a nest on the back of our house?

They don't build nests of their own. They're parasitic.

Me too, extra pointy! What's the received wisdom should one come across a hornet or even a nest? Twat the bastard?

To humans, hornets are the least aggressive of the eusocial insects. They just want to mind their own business (which mostly has to do with hunting other insects) and you're of no interest to them whatsoever, so just leave them alone. Most importantly, don't lash out and don't try to kill them, even if they sit on some food. They'll go away after a while. Just enjoy what amazing animals they are.

People tend to be scared of them because of their size and because there seems to be an aspect of their buzz that seems extra frightening to some, but they're only likely to hurt you if you sit on one or step on one barefoot, that sort of thing.

For nests, get professional advice and help.

What concerns me (I'm only afraid of spiders) is mini_com being inquisitive. We are trying to make sure she is not squeamish or easily spooked, but still respectful and not smashy smashy. I don't want her to pick up on my arachnophobia, for example. Although, it has become her pointing at things like ants very closely, VERY closely, squished closely. And if there was a hornet, she'd likely bother it.

Twatting def to be avoided if possible. Will likely result in a non-twatted but very angry hornet as they’re fairly robust and even if you do get it they’ll most likely release an alarm pheromone whilst dying which if near to the hive could result in lots of angry hornets.

👍

Well, obviously, children and stinging insects is a whole other conversation.

Also this thread is full great picture of amazing looking bugs. Which makes me wonder why I work with the dullest looking moth about.

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