Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.

I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests that
hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
bigger than wasps.

Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Des Higgins"  wrote in message
news:462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie...
>
> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
>> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
>> loud
>> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
>> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>>
>> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
>> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
>> that
>> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
>> bigger than wasps.
>>
>> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I
> am exaggerating slightly.
>
>>
>> -- 
>> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
>> Buckingham, ENGLAND
>> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>>
The Hornet Clearwing?
A moth "found in most Europe".
"Resembles a Hornet in flight, though it rests with wings
half spread"
"Flies May/July"

From my ancient Collins Guide of Butterflies & Moths

Miles

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Des Higgins"  wrote in message
news:462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie...
>
> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
>> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
>> loud
>> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
>> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>>
>> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
>> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
>> that
>> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
>> bigger than wasps.
>>
>> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I
> am exaggerating slightly.
>
>>
>> -- 
>> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
>> Buckingham, ENGLAND
>> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>>
The Hornet Clearwing?
A moth "found in most Europe".
"Resembles a Hornet in flight, though it rests with wings
half spread"
"Flies May/July"

From my ancient Collins Guide of Butterflies & Moths

Miles

Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

Keith

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <evu9rc$ecp$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>,
   Keith Edkins  wrote:
> Maybe a horntail/wood wasp (Urocerus gigas)?

> http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P8/P8063.php
> http://www.muenster.org/hornissenschutz/urocerus.htm

> Keith
Thank you, a possibility because of its size but I; I got ought to have
noticed its tail; I got the impression of more yellow. I shall just have to
keep my eyes, ears and camera at the ready for another (rather scary) visit.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message 
news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a loud
> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>
> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests 
> that
> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
> bigger than wasps.
>
> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not get 
hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen hornets 
that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I am 
exaggerating slightly.

>
> -- 
> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
> Buckingham, ENGLAND
> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>
>

In article <462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie>, Des Higgins
 wrote:

> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
> > Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
> > loud buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising
> > slowly around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
> >
> > I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
> > black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
> > that hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all
> > that much bigger than wasps.
> >
> > Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?

> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok,
> I am exaggerating slightly.

Yes, but only slightly! They sound just right.

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j

"Des Higgins"  wrote in message
news:462f4c1d$0$4207$ba620d2c@reader.news.heanet.ie...
>
> "Rodney Blackall"  wrote in message
> news:4ed39b7df6rblackall@rodsrisc.demon.co.uk...
>> Moving containers in the garden shed this morning I was startled by a
>> loud
>> buzzing. A huge, 3 cm long, wasp like creature started cruising slowly
>> around brushing aside any cobweb in its way.
>>
>> I was not going to get near enough to annoy it! I got the impression of
>> black and yellow stripes of about equal width. My insect book suggests
>> that
>> hornets, like wasps, have only thin black bands and are not all that much
>> bigger than wasps.
>>
>> Was this a queen hornet or some European immigrant?
>
> I am not sure which species you get in the UK (Vespa crabro?; we do not
> get hornets in Ireland) but in Germany, France and Italy I have seen
> hornets that are COLOSSAL.  They darken the sky when they fly past.  Ok, I
> am exaggerating slightly.
>
>>
>> -- 
>> Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)(BSc, FRMetS, MRI)
>> Buckingham, ENGLAND
>> Using Acorn SA-RPC, OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03j
>>
The Hornet Clearwing?
A moth "found in most Europe".
"Resembles a Hornet in flight, though it rests with wings
half spread"
"Flies May/July"

From my ancient Collins Guide of Butterflies & Moths

Miles