Giant Asian Hornets spotted in Hazel Park.

[Danny]

Those are cicada killers. We have them all over our front lawn. They were here last year in spades. Last year marked a 17 year cycle for a large hatch of cicadas. The cicada wasps [[AKA Digger Wasps) follow a similar cycle, because that is what predators do..... mimic their preys behaviors.

I had never seen one until last summer, and in turn did a fair amount of research on them.

​The one I saw is no cicida killer!

[Danny]

I was talking the my neighbor, who was walking her dog. We both saw it. It was hovering over a dug out hole between the cracks in the sidewalk. Both our responses were "what is THAT?" The hole, about a half inch round, had yellow sand around it, like a disturbed ant hill. My first thought was "I wonder if the nest is underground?" I'm going to keep an eye on it and see if I can see them coming and going. I have no desire to challenge it.

Yes, Giant Asian Hornets can build nests from underground, public buildings, houses and trees. [[ Including sewage systems)

[motz]

​The one I saw is no cicida killer!

Son those are cicada killers. Trust me. They infested my friends neighborhood just off 9 mile on the border with Hazel Park. Easily identified as the cicada killers.

[Dan Wesson]

​The one I saw is no cicida killer!

[Thruster315]

Let us know when the Sharknado sightings run rampant too.

[Honky Tonk]

Easily identified as the cicada killers.

And what would be those identifying marks, Dad?

[Thruster315]

For sure, Giant Asian Hornets are here in Michigan. Ethnic Asian products from nearby ethnic communities along John Rd. are to blame. Those foreign products have to be check before it can come out of the box. I definitely saw its queen buzzing around Woodward Heights Rd. near Dequindre Rd. and its infesting at a Hazel Park neighborhood north of 9 Mile Rd. If you see those Asian Hornets don not approach them nor spook them. Their unbreakable stingers will jab you releasing their phermones to summon their colony to jab you some more. Their toxic venom will kill you in minutes!

Now someone reel me in if they think I'm being awfully harsh here but I really consider the following comment awfully racially insensitive beyond just being a total dumbass sort of remark.

That small asian community along John R work hard for their keep. I shop there from time to time and have never found anything out of sorts. They operate their shops without any cause for concern to me [[granted I have no idea what some of that stuff is but the Asian community there seems to dig it). To somehow drag those specific people into this ridiculousness is way off base. Why not resurrect rumors of how Chinese restaurants use cats or dogs in dishes while we're at it?

So unless someone can actually convince me that somehow Danny is suddenly a trained entomologist, can verify that his data is correct, can source his imaginary monster bugs came from those shop keeps on John R- I think this is utter bullsh1t.

And if there's some measure of humor that I missed, someone please educate me.

[Danny]

Son those are cicada killers. Trust me. They infested my friends neighborhood just off 9 mile on the border with Hazel Park. Easily identified as the cicada killers.

I did not see a Cicada Killer. It was a Giant Asian Hornet, a queen. And I was very lucky to stay out of the way.

[Jimaz]

The only thing I remember from that film is when the wino kept chanting "Make me a sergeant and gimme the booze."

It's weird what trash sticks to your mind like gum to the shoe.

[bugs1739]

There are also rumors that midget Siberian tigers with black fur are roaming around Woodward Ave in Detroit, scratching at cars and growling at passing pedestrians and bicyclists. The tigers use abandoned burnt-out homes and freeway underpasses as shelter.

I took a picture at one of the midget tigers @ Woodward and Warren:

[Thruster315]

There are also rumors that midget Siberian tigers with black fur are roaming around Woodward Ave in Detroit, scratching at cars and growling at passing pedestrians and bicyclists. The tigers use abandoned burnt-out homes and freeway underpasses as shelter.

I took a picture at one of the midget tigers @ Woodward and Warren:

According to Danny's ethnic logic that Siberian Tiger must've come across from Africa in the holds of slave ships.

[motz]

And what would be those identifying marks, Dad?

You see, when I was a kid, my parents taught me to identify the creatures around me before running around screaming that the world is going to end. My friend who has been battling the cicada killers posted a picture of one of the casualties of their war against them and yep, that matches everything I have seen for cicada killers.

Mind you, saying that gigantic killer Asian Hornets that eat Human Flesh is a lot more fun, but way less accurate.

[Honky Tonk]

You see, when I was a kid, my parents taught me to identify the creatures around me before running around screaming that the world is going to end. My friend who has been battling the cicada killers posted a picture of one of the casualties of their war against them and yep, that matches everything I have seen for cicada killers.

Mind you, saying that gigantic killer Asian Hornets that eat Human Flesh is a lot more fun, but way less accurate.

Since I'm very familiar with the large-bodied, black with yellow markings, wasp-shaped Cicada Killers, I can say that what I saw, definitely wasn't one. It was much larger than a Cicada Killer, it wasn't wasp shaped, [[my apologies, I did post "wasp" in my reply to Danny). It was hornet shaped, mostly yellow, with black markings. It closer resembled a huge yellow-jacket, more then anything else. Now, maybe it wasn't an Asian Hornet, but it sure wasn't a Cicada Killer either, unless there's a species of Cicada Killer that I haven't seen before. Feel free to post photos of your friends Cicada Killers. As far as "flesh-eating hornets", and the "world ending", your folks also did a bang-up job teaching you to blow people's posts out of proportion.

[Thruster315]

As far as "flesh-eating hornets", and the "world ending", your folks also did a bang-up job teaching you to blow people's posts out of proportion.

I can live with that sort of sensationalism. The blame game with a direct finger to the Asian grocers was a little far fetched and just uncalled for.

[Honky Tonk]

I can live with that sort of sensationalism. The blame game with a direct finger to the Asian grocers was a little far fetched and just uncalled for.

I think you're taking that the wrong way. I don't think Danny's implication was that Asian grocers intentionally imported and released Asian Hornets, if, indeed, that's what they are. HOWEVER, years ago, I worked for an importer where the goods came from Asian countries. You never saw such a variety of strange insects in a building. Most of the insects were cockroachs, but they were a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. I remember one time the guys opened a cardboard box, and several ran out @ lightning speed. Good luck trying to find them in a large, packed warehouse. Last Saturday we were within feet of the hornet I saw, and it didn't attack us. It was very unnerving though. I keep thinking about that hole in the ground it kept coming back and hovering over. If it is their nest, I'll try to get some photos. [[put THAT in your pipe and smoke it Django!) If I don't post for a while, call 911.

[Farwell]

Send a photo to MSU Diagnostic Services entomologist Howard Russell and he'll ID it for you bugman@msu.edu Problem solved.

[Honky Tonk]

Send a photo to MSU Diagnostic Services entomologist Howard Russell and he'll ID it for you bugman@msu.edu Problem solved.

Thanx Farwell. I don't know if even I buy it being an Asian Hornet, but I'd sure like to find out what it was. Hopefully that is the nest. If not, I don't know where to look for it.

[jcole]

I think you're taking that the wrong way. I don't think Danny's implication was that Asian grocers intentionally imported and released Asian Hornets, if, indeed, that's what they are. HOWEVER, years ago, I worked for an importer where the goods came from Asian countries. You never saw such a variety of strange insects in a building. Most of the insects were cockroachs, but they were a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. I remember one time the guys opened a cardboard box, and several ran out @ lightning speed. Good luck trying to find them in a large, packed warehouse. Last Saturday we were within feet of the hornet I saw, and it didn't attack us. It was very unnerving though. I keep thinking about that hole in the ground it kept coming back and hovering over. If it is their nest, I'll try to get some photos. [[put THAT in your pipe and smoke it Django!) If I don't post for a while, call 911.

Did the hole it was hovering over have a pile of dirt around the edges or was it flat? From what I can ascertain, if there is a mound of dirt around it, it's a Cicada Killer nest.

[Thruster315]

I think you're taking that the wrong way. I don't think Danny's implication was that Asian grocers intentionally imported and released Asian Hornets, if, indeed, that's what they are. HOWEVER, years ago, I worked for an importer where the goods came from Asian countries. You never saw such a variety of strange insects in a building. Most of the insects were cockroachs, but they were a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. I remember one time the guys opened a cardboard box, and several ran out @ lightning speed. Good luck trying to find them in a large, packed warehouse. Last Saturday we were within feet of the hornet I saw, and it didn't attack us. It was very unnerving though. I keep thinking about that hole in the ground it kept coming back and hovering over. If it is their nest, I'll try to get some photos. [[put THAT in your pipe and smoke it Django!) If I don't post for a while, call 911.

I'm not saying that Danny's far fetched accusation was based upon intent to releasing any sort of bugs here. It's the fact that he accused very specific grocers of bringing them into the country. If he could somehow even make the link to those specific grocers I'd cut him the slack. If Danny said he THINKS they might have come across the ocean and inadvertently released into the area I'd be okay with it. Why point the finger to that specific set of Asian grocers there? Whose to say it wasn't from some other Asian grocer or some other ethnicity's grocers? Danny's not implying anything; he's stating it as fact with addresses practically!

Unless he has proof of those people deliberately or inadvertently bringing this sort of contaminant into the states, I call bullsh1t on it.

I'm not so naive to think that critters don't hitch rides over to the States in all manner of shipping containers or vessels either- but how many of them can actually survive, much less thrive here remains to be seen. I'm sure for every zebra mussel that takes a foothold here in Michigan, some exotic cockroach group has also become dust.

[Honky Tonk]

Did the hole it was hovering over have a pile of dirt around the edges or was it flat? From what I can ascertain, if there is a mound of dirt around it, it's a Cicada Killer nest.

Saturday, when I saw it hovering above the hole, there was yellow sand around it, sort of like a flattened ant hill. If it is a Cicada Killer, it's a species I haven't seen before. Like I said, it resembled a giant yellow jacket, and not the big black bodied Cicada Killer. I used to catch Cicada Killers as a kid. [[and let them go) Somewhere, on film, I have photos of one attacking and killing a moth that was on my tent, while camping. Now you might be on to something. Maybe it was looking for prey, because it did return to the opening several times while we were standing there talking.

[jcole]

Saturday, when I saw it hovering above the hole, there was yellow sand around it, sort of like a flattened ant hill. If it is a Cicada Killer, it's a species I haven't seen before. Like I said, it resembled a giant yellow jacket, and not the big black bodied Cicada Killer. I used to catch Cicada Killers as a kid. [[and let them go) Somewhere, on film, I have photos of one attacking and killing a moth that was on my tent, while camping. Now you might be on to something. Maybe it was looking for prey, because it did return to the opening several times while we were standing there talking.

Cidada Killer hole


Giant Asian Killer Queens [[Maybe these are what Queen meant)


Cicada Killer

[mwilbert]

I'm not so naive to think that critters don't hitch rides over to the States in all manner of shipping containers or vessels either- but how many of them can actually survive, much less thrive here remains to be seen. I'm sure for every zebra mussel that takes a foothold here in Michigan, some exotic cockroach group has also become dust.

A number of invasive insect arrivals have been attributed to the bugs stowing away in packing crates. The recent ones which have become big problems that come immediately to mind are the Asian Longhorned Beetle, and the Emerald Ash Borer, the latter of which has done a lot of damage in Michigan. Given the tiny fraction of packing crates from Asia that are destined for Asian shopkeepers, I don't really see how they have anything to do with it, but the phenomenon is an actual problem.

[Danny]

Giant Asian Killer Queens [[Maybe these are what Queen meant)





http://genefinneran.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54eeebad88834014e8a0f1080970d-pi[/IMG]

That's the one I saw when was walking down Woodward Heights near Dequindre Rd.

[Thruster315]

A number of invasive insect arrivals have been attributed to the bugs stowing away in packing crates. The recent ones which have become big problems that come immediately to mind are the Asian Longhorned Beetle, and the Emerald Ash Borer, the latter of which has done a lot of damage in Michigan. Given the tiny fraction of packing crates from Asia that are destined for Asian shopkeepers, I don't really see how they have anything to do with it, but the phenomenon is an actual problem.

Agreed. And I would never be as so bold or stupid to attribute them to a single source unless I had concrete facts and proof of it either.

[Honky Tonk]

Cidada Killer hole


Giant Asian Killer Queens [[Maybe these are what Queen meant)


Cicada Killer

Thanx JC, The Cicada Killer I know. The hole looks about right, sans mound. Since it's in the expansion joint of a sidewalk, it could be someone stepped on the build-up or kids poked around in it. I'll keep an eye on it after the rains subside. As far as the Queen song, do these guys carry dynamite or laser beams?