Help ID this critter -hornet, wasp, pterodactyl? (insects, birds, look)
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Friend or foe? There are about 50 of these large guys flying around my side yard. I have to mow, but will avoid that area!
Can anyone tell me what these are? I say yellow jacket pterodactyls! But I could be wrong.
Looks like a Baldface Hornet. Very nasty critter to say the least. Look up under the eaves or in a bush nearby for their nest. It will be round to oval, and looks as if it is made out of greyish paper.
I have noticed they are more active in the morning sun. Now it isn't as blaring in that area they are less active. The area is on the east side of the house. There are one or two out there now. Not sure if that makes any difference.
If it helps you feel any better, they eat other wasps.
We call them ground wasps. They dig holes into a dirt bank, kill a cicada and stick it along with their larva in the hole. The cicada becomes the food for the young'ins.
Dangerous/menacing looking creatures, but they don't sting or bother humans. Their defense seems to be flying at you like a real threat, and then going about their business. They don't come every year. I burn or dig out the 'nests/burrows' so they don't reproduce. Otherwise, very threatening looking, but harmless.
Friend or foe? There are about 50 of these large guys flying around my side yard. I have to mow, but will avoid that area!
Can anyone tell me what these are? I say yellow jacket pterodactyls! But I could be wrong.
We are in central/northern VA if that helps
Back when I was a kid in NYC there were holes in the schoolyard walls. In these holes lived the largest yellow jackets I've ever seen. I finally identified them as cicada killers. Funny you should mention pterodactyls. They were large, but they really went about their business.
Yes - so big I thought they were hummingbirds from afar!
I found holes in the dirt near the house and assume that is the nest. I went ahead and mowed that area at dusk. They send a scout to check me out - I hurried and finished, but he didn't bring any friends - thankfully. I suppose we will co-exist until fall.
Thanks everyone for you help!
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