[Y3a]

Maybe we need a Poll to see if we were lied to. I think AT LEAST the length was an exaggeration.

[starman]

Didn't I already say that the link posted early on was close enough? Now we have 48 more posts of whether or not I lied. You people really disappoint me.

[Landos Mustache]

Originally Posted by starman

Didn't I already say that the link posted early on was close enough? Now we have 48 more posts of whether or not I lied. You people really disappoint me.

You said close, excuse anyone for being interested and trying to find out exactly what it is.

Why you so damn bitchy all the time?

[starman]

I'm sitting on a beach in Wildwood, NJ. Hardly the time for talking to ny neighbors.

And yet people are more willing to accept the crap in the "best proof of ghosts I've ever seen" thread.

Very sad.

[torsoboy]

Originally Posted by starman

Didn't I already say that the link posted early on was close enough? Now we have 48 more posts of whether or not I lied. You people really disappoint me.

I think this is what you said:

Originally Posted by starman

They're definitely not only 2". Normal wasps around here are like 1", and this is not simply 2x as large. 4" could be a minimum. It was QUITE large.

[Cadaver]

I think this may have been the large wasp/bee you were talking about...

[brassplayersrock²]

or maybe:



or perhaps

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by Y3a

I think AT LEAST the length was an exaggeration.

Yea yea, that's what she said.

[Hoptop9]

I live in jersey and the past few days I've seen a wasp that I would say had to be about 3-4 inches in length, it was by far the biggest wasp I've ever seen. When it flew over a patch of loose sand it was like a mini helicopter was flying over the sand blowing it around, that's how massive this thing was. I saw it at work (general construction so we are decent at guessing the length of something by eying it up) and called an older guy I work with over, he said he had seen it on the job site the day before and that it burrowed holes so I'd guess it's the species described in the first link but again, I'd agree with the original poster that the wasp I saw was bigger than an inch or two....on the other hand saying the one I saw was 6+ inches would be an exaggeration, more like 3-4 but regardless it was still massive....if I see it again I'll take a picture. Also it seemed docile and was by itself so I'd think it's the species in the first link and the one I'm seeing just happened to grow larger than normal.

[olePigeon]

Since you live in the U.S., the only one I could think of is the Tarantula Hawk as mentioned before. A more impressive species is the giant asian hornet. About the same size as the Hawk, but it has much more striking colors; your classic yellow and black. Very pretty.

[BadKosh]

Since the Tarantula Hawk is a south western creature, you probably don't have them in NJ. No tarantula's to eat.

The Cicada Killers vary between 2 and 3.7 inches long (at least the ones living in my back yard)
They are docile and won't sting you if you hold your hand out for them to crawl on.
They like the warmth of your hands.

[andi*pandi]

brrrr. could not do that. Hate wasps and yellowjackets.

[Leonard]

Yeah, it's probably a Cicada Killer. Here in Ottawa we have a lot of Cicada's in the trees. You can here them buzzing. I haven't seen a Cicada Killer, though. Likely New Jersey has Cicada's too, so they have Cicada Killers.

As for the size, It's probably reasonable to be double the size, if they're an older well-fed bunch, maybe.

It would be nice to have a picture, with something in the picture to give us an idea of the size.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I assume everyone realizes this is a zombie thread? The original post was in 2006.

Those things are freaky though, even if they aren't aggresive or particularly dangerous. I'm glad I live in a place with no large bugs or disgusting things.

[dave_r83]

Hi, 20 years ago I was living in Bahrain, me and my family were leaving to go out in the car somewhere, it was just as I was about to open the car door I heard this really loud buzzing noise, I looked to the floor by the car tyre and saw what I can only describe as a giant wasp about 5 inches in size. It was dragging a fully grown grasshopper/cricket which was the same size as the wasp. As soon as it was dragged under the car it was gone.

Over the years since, I have looked on the internet trying to find something similar in size and look and have found nothing close at all.

[Waragainstsleep]

Is it Cicada's that hibernate for years underground or am I thinking of something else?

There is some kind of bug that is common in the US but different species come out at different intervals to breed before burying themselves again. The intervals are always a prime number of years to avoid any predators learning to hibernate for the same length of time.

There was one species that swarms like a carpet every 17 years.

[Spheric Harlot]

The May beetle (aka chafer) does that, too, AFAIK.

[andi*pandi]

cicadas do the 17 yr thing, afair.

[SSharon]

Thank you zombie thread, I've been wondering about this wasp.

I noticed these wasps a few days ago burrowing in the dirt around my apartment complex. I've also seen cicadas in the area so it makes sense. The ones here are 2.5"-3" and I'll see if I can get a picture.

[BadKosh]

Google Cicada Killer and see if you have a match.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

cicadas do the 17 yr thing, afair.

We get them every summer in France. On the Med coast the noise that they make is incredible when it gets really hot.

[Spheric Harlot]

They show up every year, but they're on uneven reproductive cycles to keep the numbers unpredictable and the predators at bay.

[starman]

I'm just going to leave this here.

Warning: scary

Terrifying Giant Hornet Plague Killing Dozens In China | Geekologie

[turtle777]

Documentary on Japanese Giant Hornet. Scary shit.

Japanese Hornet Documentary - YouTube

-t

[Spheric Harlot]

I really hate those overdramatized nature "documentaries".

That stuff is so fascinating on its own, it really doesn't need the "Hornets from Hell" stylization... And I'm frankly shocked that NAtional Geographic slaps their logo on that kind of shit. Have they sunk that low?

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

I really hate those overdramatized nature "documentaries".

That stuff is so fascinating on its own, it really doesn't need the "Hornets from Hell" stylization... And I'm frankly shocked that NAtional Geographic slaps their logo on that kind of shit. Have they sunk that low?

Gotta sell those magazines !!!

[Spheric Harlot]

Nat Geo used to be this really really cool society, staffed by scientists, and dedicated to education.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

Nat Geo used to be this really really cool society, staffed by scientists, and dedicated to education.

I know, we still have some of their magazines from when my Grandfather was a subscriber. We still get it sent (photo edition just arrived) , and its still interesting, but every now and again there's a rabid anti-humanity/capitalist society article.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

I really hate those overdramatized nature "documentaries".

That stuff is so fascinating on its own, it really doesn't need the "Hornets from Hell" stylization... And I'm frankly shocked that NAtional Geographic slaps their logo on that kind of shit. Have they sunk that low?

I agree. I had to look past that sensationalism. But the facts behiond those hornets is fascinating and scary.

Just think what woul happen if those made it to Europe or the US. The native bee population would be toast.

-t

[starman]

Deadly hornets kill 42 people in China, injure over 1,500 - CNN.com

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

I agree. I had to look past that sensationalism. But the facts behiond those hornets is fascinating and scary.

Just think what woul happen if those made it to Europe or the US. The native bee population would be toast.

Didn't happen this year (they think due to the very cold, wet winter that we had) but the last few years you had communes and departments pushing leaflets through doors on how to make hornet traps because they were killing all the bees. The hornet targeted was called an Asian hornet (yellow legs instead of brown). They weren't any bigger than the native population but they were more aggressive (to bees).

Father-in-law was getting 20 or 30 per week in his traps in the South West of France over the last few summers.

Then when the winter comes you can see their nests high up in trees. About the size of a 4 or 5 year old child. Some images here (can't link directly from work).

Ironically, its not the Asian hornets that are aggressive at night, near light for example - its the local ones.

Best trap involves a plastic bottle (1l), the cheapest beer you can buy, and some grenadine syrup (not alcoholic).

[osiris]

At Narita airport I ran into a giant dragonfly inside near the cash exchange window. The thing was the size of a cardinal or bluejay, I shit you not.

[andi*pandi]

Originally Posted by starman 

Deadly hornets kill 42 people in China, injure over 1,500 - CNN.com

brrrrrrrr. Nasty things.

[andi*pandi]

Also, this is relevant:

Scroll down to Godzilla

[osiris]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

Also, this is relevant:

Scroll down to Godzilla

that was profound.

[Chongo]

They're called Jose Greco de Meurtos

[ajprice]

From the 'I ****ing Love Science' Facebook page...

Deadly hornets kill 42 people in China, injure over 1,500 - CNN.com


Vespa mandarinia/Japanese hornets.. QUEENS! by Addicted2Hymenoptera , on Flickr

[andi*pandi]

If I lived in China I'd carry a blowtorch.