The Experiment

[BugmanPrice]

Wow, That's a great idea! Do you happen to have any pictures? I know it's off the thread topic but it's too intriguing to not ask about.

Just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying this unusual thread. It is very interesting to read about the seldom visited corners of the hobby like wasp-keeping. Looking forward to additional updates. Not much of a story, but in the fall of 2006 I caught a large hornet in my living room (white and black). I put it in a jar with some paper towel that was previously inhabited by a live rhino beetle, just for observation's sake. The towel was soaked with juice from an apple, but had dried. I left it in my garage through the winter. Occasionally, I happened to pick up the container and was always surprised to see that the wasp was still alive. I recall spraying the towel with a bit of water, once or twice. I saw it alive again in the spring, but it died thereafter (probably starved, I'm sad to say).

I have a friend who keeps bees in his classroom. He runs a tube through the wall to the outside. Always hard to walk away from observing all the activity going on in the colony.

Peter

 

[Keith]

Not much of a story, but in the fall of 2006 I caught a large hornet in my living room (white and black).

By any chance was it this, a bald faced hornet? If it was i get them around here too, they chew up the wooden fences to help use for nest building.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1224/109676...b8edffb.jpg?v=0

 

[Tleilaxu]

That is indeed a bald faced hornet, they are typically shy away from the nest, but will mount a highly defensive responce if the nest is provoked.

 

[crittergu]

This all sounds really interesting. I'd be interested in seeing if anyone has attempted to keep some of the solitary wasps. The steel blue cricket hunter might be a good start.

 

[demon]

i keep em!

 

[Matt K]

This all sounds really interesting. I'd be interested in seeing if anyone has attempted to keep some of the solitary wasps. The steel blue cricket hunter might be a good start.

I could be wrong, but arent some of the solitary wasps very specific on what specie they feed on? (ex: Velvet 'Ant')

Some of them would be ultra cool to propogate, though. I have seen a few that are metallic colors (among others)...

 

[Tleilaxu]

If anyone wants the conclusion, they did not accept the nest, nor did they make a new one.

I think waking them up early messed with their internal systems, and they died a few weeks after my last post.