Any Entomologists here? Hornet/yellow Jacket question

[Richard]

Doesn't have to be an entomologist I just figured someone with that background might know.

We have blueberry bushes maybe 60' long, two rows of them side by side. They've not been trimmed back for 3-4 years so they are VERY tall and very bushy.

I'm sting allergic to little stinging SOB's and in fact, went just today to get my monthly sting shot.

I only say the above to add credence when I say I've TRIED to listen hard and focus on what I'm hearing (not hearing) since if I stumble onto a nest and get multiple stings, it could be bad news for me.

Ok, on to the question....

Went out today to pick some blueberries. All was going find & dandy. I've always feared a hornets nest to form inside them where I can't see it (they're maybe 9-10 feet tall and thick)

Last year, I can attest there were zero nests inside and I was able to make my way around and through them while picking berries.

Today, not sure about the inside, I started picking berries along the outer circumference of the bushes.

I notices what I think is a yellow jacket or hornet. Frankly, I get the two screwed up as to which is which. These were maybe 3/8'ths inch long and of course, had the yellow/black stripes. They might have been 1/2" but not much more.

I additionally saw what I THOUGHT were some of these same SOB's however, they were maybe 1/8" long.... VERY tiny.... much smaller than I would have expected. (babies?)

Regardless of what the tiny ones were, I indeed saw the larger ones and there were enough that I felt prudent to back off so I did.

What struck me is, they were totally ignoring me and flying onto the leaves. If they were bees and these flowers I would have said they were pollinating the flowers. As it were, I'd say they were pollinating the leaves which of course, makes no sense.

Is there a reason for yellowjackets/hornets to fly from leaf to leaf on a blueberry bush and leave me alone?

(I first noticed one when it was probably 12" away from my hand...)

Seeing these fly around the plant made me wonder if they really were Y/jackets or hornets. I'm 98% sure they were one of the two but their habits were confusing to me.

Why would they hang out on the leaves of the blueberries?

 

[MossRoad]

Hi Richard.
Any way for you to take a digital picture of them or find a picture on the internet?

One tip, stay back about 3-4 feet and use the cameras zoom to get close, then focus on the leaf rather than trying to get real close to the insect.

 

[SuperDuty335]

Your are in TN and I'm in NC so our bees should be generally the same. Unfortunately I've been stung by every kind we have. The very small bees you refer to are probably what we call sweat bees. They can bite or sting but rarely do. When they do it's not much more than a bad mosquito bite. The other you refer to is probably a European hornet. Their sting is NASTY! Trust me I know. Yellow jackets are fairly small, typically nest in the ground and are super aggressive once agitated. They have a small body compared to the hornet. We also have hornets that are black and white striped (more common than yellow or orange). Then there are fuzzy bumble bees which you probably know about. They pack a punch also.

 

[woodchuckie]

The yellow jacket is pretty small, closer to 1/4 than 1/2 inch. I can get a picture since I just destroyed a nest last night after getting stung on the side of my head yesterday. I was already 15 feet past the nest after running over it with my bush hog. There were a few flying around me while I had to cut to tractor off and unbuckle my seatbelt while swatting at them. It seemed to take forever. I've never been stung by a wasp,bee,yellow jacket or bumble bee unless I was near their nest. Away from the nest they aren't aggressive at all. So whatever they are doing on your blueberry leaves, I bet their nest isn't there. But I wouldn't bet your life on it.

 

[mbohuntr]

They do seem to get all worked up over a little brush hog traveling over their nest, don't they?

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Richard,

Try these sites from UK (even though you're from TN ). The entomology dept. there has a good website:

Flower Flies of Kentucky - University of Kentucky Entomology

Wasps, Ants, and Bees of Kentucky - University of Kentucky Entomology

 

[Richard]

I recognize 'sweat bees'... no....further investigation today revealed them to indeed be yellow jackets

get this... 1224159 - hornets, potter wasps, paper wasps or yellow jackets, (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) @ Forestry Images


Tell me that doesn't suck... Though there might not be a bonafide nest there, if these things eat the berries, what are the chances of someone grabbing a cluster of berries, rolling them in their hand and having a little stinging SOB in there ready to defend itself.

I guess they've been there before but I've never noticed them on the blueberry bushes in years past.

I think this changes the program a little bit.

Would some yellow jacket traps exist and might they work enough that if I put them around the blueberry bushes (but say, 50' away) they might attract the SOB's to the trap and thin them out from the berry bushes?

 

[Richard]

I've been reading more about some home made yellow jacket traps (pan with dish soap water, piece of meat/fish suspended above to attract them)

I got to thinking.... if they already have a food source (blueberries) and have this other food source, 50/100 feet away.... would the meat be more attracting to them over the berries?

I guess only one way to find out. I also think that if I put some traps out and kill only 5 little SOB's, that's 5 fewer flying around the berries and 5 fewer chances for someone to get stung.

This is not only my personal concern... this is on the family farm and there are a LOT of people that come out here to pick berries. Family memebers and friends of the family.

Most of the friends of the family are elderly (some in 80's) and I realize this poses a real issue to them on more than one front.

Sure, they could get stung and have the negative reality a sting reaction could give... but what if they aren't allergic but simply run away.

Seems to me, running away in a pasture, on a mild slope with ruts in the ground, they're more apt to trip & fall somewhere along the line and if that happens, now we're talking about breaking bones/hips....

I've never noticed these SOB's on the berries before. Not saying they've never been there...just not noticed. I'm glad I've spotted them before anyone has been hurt.

I need to put some other food options out there for them and try to fight back.

ohhhhhhhhh, how I despise these little SOB's.

 

[cowboy357]

Richard If you can put a rod Or stick in the ground that You could hang something from you could try the glue sticks . the yellow color atracts them . & there aint no letting go .

Just have to make sure no one touches them Because They are sticky . Once they are full Dispose of them . I have a few open Sheds thats full of wasps & after using about 10 or 12 of these I can work in them without the risk of being attacked .

Might be worth a try . I think You can buy them locally at like walmart as well. but heres a link to what i,m talking about. Best of luck, Bob

Catchmaster 10.5" Fly & Wasp Glue Trap 4Pack

 

[LostInTheWoods]

Early in the season, adults prefer meat...they chew it up and feed it to the larva. In return, the larva secrete some type of sugar-laden juice. After the larva change to adults, they all seem to switch to looking for sugar (fruits, garbage, soda, etc).

There are several types of wasp/hornet traps you can get at any Wal-mart, Lowe's, etc. Just bait with whatever is appropriate for the season. I had some traps out last year. They consisted of a type of trap that screws into the top of a two-liter soda bottle. You fill the bottom with about 6 in water. Basically, they are attracted to the bait, crawl through the top, then can't figure out how to get back out and eventually drown in the water. Early in the year, use a piece of meat like bologna, later in the year, use fruit or sugar-water.