CHRS: IBMPC 2
 CODEPAGE: 437
 MSGID: 240:244/116 43d1e937
 REPLY: 240:44/0 cf12423f
 PID: FDAPX/w 1.12a UnReg(397)
Hi all and tom,
Para vespula crabo are known as hornets here in the UK, we do not find them in
South East england but in the New Forest they are common. I expect the large
wasps of which Tom writes are Paravespula dolich median the European middle
size wasp from France and Germany, the queen has the size and markings of a
crabo worker and the workers have the size of vulgaris queens, the workers have
three distinctly different markings, wide black and narrow yellow abdominal
bands, equal abdominal bands and narrow black and wide yellow abdominal bands,
they are more docile and less quick to sting than vulgaris which together with
germanica are the two most agressive social wasps I have come across. Median
nests are built in the open hanging in trees or hedges with overhanging
protection, colonies rarely exceed 500 insects much like crabo, stings are no
more powerful than either crabo or vulgaris, venom is designed to paralyse prey
not to kill, it is therefore logical to suppose it cannot be stronger or the
prey might die.
 
If children were badly stung there might have to be another explantion.
ANYTHING REPORTED IN THE PRESS ABOUT WASPS AND BEES HAS TO VIEWED WITH
SCEPTICISM. Journalist writing for daily papers have no time to research facts
and there job is to ensure attention is grabbed sufficient to sell the
newspaper. Who would buy a paper to read all this guff I have just written, to
read this you have to be interested in insects not headline news.
 
Regards from the Garden of England
 
[log in to unmask]
 
ps. Hans von Hagen, a German wrote an excellent article on these wasps some
years back, it was published in the Deutsche Imker Journal
 
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 * Origin: Kent Beekeeper Beenet Point (240:244/116)