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RAUK - Archived Forum - Hornets and young lizards

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Hornets and young lizards:

Author	Message
Brian Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 No. of posts: 17 View other posts by Brian	Posted: 27 Sep 2010 I am removing lizards from a development site to a nearby receptor site, and am using roof felt to attract lizards. it is also attracting bush crickets, and hornets are clearly hunting the tiles. I have seen them chasing young lizards too, though no kills as yet. Has anyone witnessed hornets actually taking young lizards before? Brian40448.2906597222 Brian Banks Swift Ecology

Robert V Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 717 View other posts by Robert V	Posted: 27 Sep 2010 Hi Brian, I've never heard of a hornet taking a young lizard but I would think sting from one of the larger Hornets you see flying sometimes is probably as lethal as an adder bite. I'd heard once that a horse died from just two hornet stings so a lizard wouldn't stand a chance. RobV

Robert V Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 717 View other posts by Robert V	Posted: 27 Sep 2010 I was out over a site saturday and it looks like herps are moving close to their hibernation sites now, this will probably be one of the last from this year R RobV

Brian Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 No. of posts: 17 View other posts by Brian	Posted: 27 Sep 2010 There were still quite a few lizards, and hornets around today, but I know what you mean. The site is in one of the warmer parts of the country. Brian Banks Swift Ecology

Brian Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 No. of posts: 17 View other posts by Brian	Posted: 27 Sep 2010 Rob, hornets are not all sting. What has surprised me is how they eat the animals they have captured. I imagined they would fly back to the nest, but they seem to sit and devour Orthoptera. Perhaps queens trying to get protein. Brian Banks Swift Ecology

Robert V Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 717 View other posts by Robert V	Posted: 28 Sep 2010 Brian hi, yes you're right; I can't remember which one, but either the soldiers, drones or workers have no sting at all. They're the ones that ram you in the forehead if you get to close to the nest. R RobV

Brian Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 No. of posts: 17 View other posts by Brian	Posted: 28 Sep 2010 That is not quite what I meant. Rather, as well as a fairly powerful sting they have fairly ferocious mandibles! Saw one chase another lizard today, but still no evidence of them actually catching one. It's is the males that do not sting. As a species hornets are actually relatively docile unless you really annoy them. Brian Banks Swift Ecology

- Hornets and young lizards

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