Invaded by Bald Faced Hornets

Before my husband got stung twice neither of us had ever heard of bald-faced hornets, but after his research there could be no doubt. Then we discovered 3 hives under the eaves outside & one under the deck. (Bottom photo. I neglected to take a photo before one of the eave hives was obliterated, but it was right in the corner in the middle photo.) Getting rid of the deck hive was a problem because there was fencing around it & it would be quite a job removing it just to get at a hive.

All this time I thought it was bees buzzing around my lambs ears flowers (second photo), but apparently each species is

drawn to different flowers. I was a little more careful, when, on closer inspec-

tion I saw the lambs ears buzzing was caused by hornets.

There was no alternative but to call the exterminator. He confirmed my husband's identification & went about his business. They no longer use poison spray directly on the hive. A less lethal spray is now used on the area surrounding the hive. It attracts the hornets, they eat it & die. What else can you do when wildlife like this becomes a real pest.

And speaking of wildlife our robins did not return this year to raise their 2 or 3 broods. It seems to me I read that robins have about a 3 year life expectancy, so it could be they'd reached theirs. Despite the hassle of their trying to build a next on our window ledges & the resulting mess under the windows, we missed them.

We haven't seen a coyote yet this summer, either!