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Wasps the size of birds?
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Clinically Insane
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About 5-7 years ago (I really don't know when exactly), a guy down the street had a nest of these wasps the size of birds. He would literally swat at them with a tennis racket and there'd be a bunch of them lying in the street.
So, today I go outside to put chemicals in the pool and there's one. Looks like a wasp, but the size of a sparrow. Huge for an insect, about 6-8 inches long. I called my wife and she said that again, that guy was out there this morning swatting at them with a tennis racket.
Does anyone have any idea what these things are? I can't get a decent picture of them.
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They should put those in a horror movie. I'd go. I bet wikipedia has an answer...
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Clinically Insane
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That looks like them but 2"? No, these were bigger. Thanks for the link.
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Are you sure about the wasp and 6 inches part?
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Originally Posted by starman
Looks like a wasp, but the size of a sparrow. Huge for an insect, about 6-8 inches long.
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Originally Posted by Dark Helmet
Are you sure about the wasp and 6 inches part?
Maybe he means six MAN inches where 6" = 1.5"
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Originally Posted by smacintush
Maybe he means six MAN inches where 6" = 1.5"
ha ha.
well perhaps he meant CM.
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Can we get a picture of these dead wasps? The Japanese Hornet is huge and has been introduced to America. Cicada Killers are not colony insects so you would not see a whole bunch of them swarming around a certain area. The Japanese hornet is amost the size of the Cicada Killer but it is a colony insect... not to mention if you get stung on the leg you'll go numb for a week or so. In fact you can die from a sting.
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Originally Posted by starman
That looks like them but 2"? No, these were bigger. Thanks for the link.
Hmm... you live in NJ. Explains the giant 6" wasps.
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Clinically Insane
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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.
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This is big enough
I can't even imagine one twice the size.
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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.
My honest suggestion would be to call your local insect authority and find out what these things are exactly. I've never heard of a 4 inch wasp before. Not even Japanese Hornets get that big.
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Being in debt and celebrating a lower deficit is like being on a diet and celebrating the fact you gained two pounds this week instead of five.
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I once mistook one of these for a humming-bird. I imagine other insects could get as large.
The Hawk moth
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Originally Posted by Wiskedjak
holy crap.
my hair stands on end at this time.
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Originally Posted by starman
About 5-7 years ago (I really don't know when exactly), a guy down the street had a nest of these wasps the size of birds. He would literally swat at them with a tennis racket and there'd be a bunch of them lying in the street.
So, today I go outside to put chemicals in the pool and there's one. Looks like a wasp, but the size of a sparrow. Huge for an insect, about 6-8 inches long. I called my wife and she said that again, that guy was out there this morning swatting at them with a tennis racket.
Does anyone have any idea what these things are? I can't get a decent picture of them.
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by starman
About 5-7 years ago (I really don't know when exactly), a guy down the street had a nest of these wasps the size of birds. He would literally swat at them with a tennis racket and there'd be a bunch of them lying in the street.
So, today I go outside to put chemicals in the pool and there's one. Looks like a wasp, but the size of a sparrow. Huge for an insect, about 6-8 inches long. I called my wife and she said that again, that guy was out there this morning swatting at them with a tennis racket.
Does anyone have any idea what these things are? I can't get a decent picture of them.
No, not unless those things have lungs. You are either lying or seeing things.
V
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I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
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Posting Junkie
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Big insects definitely do exist:
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what the?
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Originally Posted by Eug Wanker
Big insects definitely do exist:
That is one hEug Wanker!
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2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
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Posting Junkie
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P.S. Was it this wasp?
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by Eug Wanker
Big insects definitely do exist:
Yes, that's the one of the biggest in the world. That's also a beetle. Not a fly. It becomes about five to six inches long. The reason for the size of that particular species of beetle is that it does not rely on flying very much. In fact it has to climb up and throw itself off things to get airborne. It is too heavy to become airborne from the ground.
There are no flies of that size. Not even close. There are flies that have a very thin and long body, but they'd hardly be confused for wasps. They look like stick insects if anything.
It is biologically impossible for insects to become larger than the giant beetles.
V
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I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
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Then again, scientist have a had time explaining how a bumble-bee flies.
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Bush Tax Cuts == Job Killer
June 2001: 132,047,000 employed
June 2003: 129,839,000 employed
2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by voodoo
No, not unless those things have lungs. You are either lying or seeing things.
V
Yeah, I'm lying. I make this sh*t up for attention.
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Clinically Insane
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That pic from Wiskedjak is about right. I can't take a pic of something that I can't see, or doesn't land
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Originally Posted by starman
Yeah, I'm lying. I make this sh*t up for attention.
Starman, go snap some pictures man. It's pointless without pictures.
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Bush Tax Cuts == Job Killer
June 2001: 132,047,000 employed
June 2003: 129,839,000 employed
2.21 million jobs were LOST after 2 years of Bush Tax Cuts.
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by starman
Yeah, I'm lying. I make this sh*t up for attention.
Apparently. There are no wasps at 6" nor the 'size of birds'.
Six centimeters, yes. Inches, no.
V
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I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by voodoo
Apparently. There are no wasps at 6" nor the 'size of birds'.
Six centimeters, yes. Inches, no.
V
When something VERY large, larger than you're used to, whips by you very fast, you'd have a hard time determing the size also.
But LYING?
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I really hate bugs. if I ever saw any of these anywhere near me or flying around my yard while I was mowing the lawn I would not go outside for a week. that beetle....good lord I can just imagine that monster crawling on my bed while I was asleep.
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Originally Posted by hyteckit
Then again, scientist have a had time explaining how a bumble-bee flies.
No they don't. High-speed photography and computer modelling show that bees have a unique flapping style that allows them to generate lift on both the forward and back stroke - they sort-of skull the air in a "treading water" sort of way rather than a typical up-down flap.
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Originally Posted by starman
When something VERY large, larger than you're used to, whips by you very fast, you'd have a hard time determing the size also.
But LYING?
Originally Posted by starman
So, today I go outside to put chemicals in the pool and there's one. Looks like a wasp, but the size of a sparrow. Huge for an insect, about 6-8 inches long. I called my wife and she said that again, that guy was out there this morning swatting at them with a tennis racket.
Maybe it just sounded like you had a pretty good look at it. Couldn't you have just gone to your neighbor's house and taken a picture of one that he swatted?
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Clinically Insane
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Oh, sure, because he just collects them
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Sounds interesting, but I can't find any reference of a giant wasp. I would love to see a picture of one.
Do you live near a nuclear power plant or a genetic research facility?
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Mac Elite
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Of course, you COULD HAVE BEEN WRONG about the size!
Wasps, flying ants etc have a limitation as to how big you can be and STILL FLY...
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Originally Posted by starman
Oh, sure, because he just collects them
Dude you're going to have to get one on tape or I'm just not believing you. 4' inch wasps in NJ means a new species of wasp. No really.
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Originally Posted by Y3a
Wasps, flying ants etc have a limitation as to how big you can be and STILL FLY...
Muahahahaha!!! Comparative Environmental Physiology once again makes up for its living hell of a 75% final and lets me understand why people say this! Wooohoooo!
greg
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Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh
Do you live near a nuclear power plant or a genetic research facility?
worse, new jersey.
starman, what about asking your neighbor?
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At least they aren't yellow jackets. My old girlfriend had a run in with some of those things a couple of years ago.
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
Muahahahaha!!! Comparative Environmental Physiology once again makes up for its living hell of a 75% final and lets me understand why people say this! Wooohoooo!
greg
They are NOT like dragonflys which can get to almost a foot in length, and with a 17 inch or so wingspan, but they also fly a different way than an ant or wasp(which are in the same family).
I think this is more of an error in judgement as to actual length. The same way an untrained observer might mistake something else as a UFO, or misjudge the size based on other factors.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by Y3a
Of course, you COULD HAVE BEEN WRONG about the size!
Wasps, flying ants etc have a limitation as to how big you can be and STILL FLY...
I'M NOT DENYING THAT I WAS.
But I just don't have one in front of me.
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by starman
I'M NOT DENYING THAT I WAS.
But I just don't have one in front of me.
Did you check out any of the links I posted?
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Originally Posted by Y3a
Did you check out any of the links WE posted?
!fixed!
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I have seen 6 inch long wasps in Saudi Arabia, I about passed out when I saw one.
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
I have seen 6 inch long wasps in Saudi Arabia, I about passed out when I saw one.
This is why I hate looking through "school books" for the largest, tallest, deadliest ..etc Somebody suddenly in Saudi Arabia (And I have no doubt you've seen that wasp) sees something never recorded in any American book (but should have been) and totaly throws off my faith on anything I've ever read scientifically.
- Case in point: everybody says the Black Widow spider is most deadly but then last night on the "Scientific Channel" They say it's the Funnel Spider. Where's that icon that's beating it's head against a wall? Oh there it is
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Mac Elite
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Well, I've called a few entomologists I know, and looked for "Biggest Wasp" on the intarweb, but The Tarantula Hawk seems to be the biggest. I'd LOVE to see pictures of a 6 inch job!
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by starman
Oh, sure, because he just collects them
If he was swatting them I figured you could just go take a picture of one of the swatted ones. You sound a bit defensive here... I was just hoping to see a 4 inch wasp.
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