>Hi Folks,
>
>      I found an interesting but ominous looking insect around some empty
>frames the other day. I saw the same insects last year in a hive that died
>of mites.  It is rather large, burgundy with yellow stripes over the
>abdomen.  It makes the bald faced hornet look wimpy. I would not want to
>be stung by this wasp(?). Does anyone have the correct species name and
>common name.   Thanks                               Ron H.
>                                                    Cambridge Springs Pa.
>                                                    USA
 
Sounds like _Vespa crabro_, the European Hornet. Not necessarily a good
thing to have around one's hives.
 
Doug Yanega       Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA      phone (217) 244-6817, fax (217) 333-4949
 affiliate, Univ. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Dept. of Entomology
          http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu:80/~dyanega/my_home.html
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82