Sunday, October 09, 2005
The Keen Observer
I've recently had some stinging comments about the profusion of yellowjackets this year. Apparently my experience is not unique, as in purusing the topic, I find similar observations from across the country, and I read that the main explanation is the arrival on the scene of the invasive German yellowjacket, an aggressive species which is partially supplanting the natives. Most yellowjackets nest underground, awaiting my arrival with my shovel, but the bald faced hornet, which is actually a yellowjacket, constructs large aerial nests of paper made from bark and such. It probably has not escaped the reader's attention, that I consider myself to be a rather keen, if somewhat accident-prone, observer of nature in our little corner. Thus it was a little disconcerting to be wandering about today in the garden, and almost running into this volleyball sized hornet nest about five feet from a busy trail. I then looked up in the sky, as if to ask how I could have missed it, and saw a second, larger nest high in a willow tree, in almost plain site. I know I thrashed through the brush right next to the pictured nest at least a couple of times this summer. I've forgotten who the patron saint of fools is... seems like something I should know.
// posted by IBOY @ 10:50 AM 
