Well, let me tell ya ’bout them Texas hornets. Them things, they ain’t nothin’ to mess with, I tell ya. They’re big, real big, and they got that mean look about ’em.
Now, some folks get them hornets mixed up with wasps. But let me tell ya, there’s a difference. Hornets, they’re bigger, way bigger. And they got this reddish-brown color, kinda like old rusty metal, with black stripes. Wasps, they’re smaller and got more yellow on ’em, black and yellow rings, like a little bumblebee costume.
I heard tell some folks say wasps eat all sorts of things, like them sweet flowers and dead stuff, even other bugs. Hornets, they like the sweet stuff too, and bugs, but I ain’t never seen one eat no dead things. Anyways, the biggest thing is the size and color, that’s how you tell ’em apart. Hornets got them black and white rings, you see, not like them yellow wasp rings.
And another thing, hornets, they build them big nests, papery-like things, hanging up high, like in trees or under the eaves of the house. Wasps, they build smaller nests, sometimes even in the ground. I seen some wasps build them mud nests too, looks like little fingers sticking out, usually inside sheds or barns.
- Hornets: Big, reddish-brown, black and white rings, big nests up high.
- Wasps: Smaller, black and yellow, sometimes build mud nests.
Now, them hornets, they ain’t always mean, but they sure can be if you bother ’em. They sting, and it hurts, I tell ya. It’s like a burnin’ fire, and it swells up somethin’ fierce. So, you best stay away from them nests.
Them hornets, wasps and bees, they are all in that same group, they call it Hymenoptera, some fancy name the bug folks use. There’s so many different kinds, more than you can shake a stick at. Speaking of shaking a stick, do not do that at a hornets nest, ya hear? They got these little stingers, and they ain’t afraid to use ’em. Bees, they’re different too. I heard talk of leafcutter bees, they go around cuttin’ up leaves for their nests. They got this big ol’ name too, something like Meg-a-chile. But we ain’t talkin’ about bees today, we’re talkin’ about them mean ol’ Texas hornets.
So, if you see a big nest, lookin’ like it’s made of paper, and you see them big, reddish-brown bugs flyin’ around, you just leave ’em be. Don’t go pokin’ at it or throwin’ rocks or nothin’, ’cause you’ll be sorry, I tell ya. You just admire them from afar, and let them hornets do their thing.
And one more thing, if you got a shed or a barn, you better go check it every now and then for them mud nests. Those wasps, they ain’t as mean as hornets, but they can still sting ya. And them mud nests, they can get pretty big if you let ’em. So, just keep an eye out, that’s all.
So, there you have it, a little somethin’ ’bout them Texas hornets and them wasps. Just remember, big and reddish-brown means hornet, small and yellow means wasp, and both of ’em, you best leave ’em alone.
Prevention is always better than getting stung, right? So if you got barns and sheds, take a peek every now and again. You don’t want to get surprised by a nest full of angry wasps. And hornets, well, their nests are usually up high so you can mostly just keep an eye out. Just use your common sense, that’s all I’m sayin’.
Now I gotta go, got chores to do. You all stay safe out there, and watch out for them hornets!
Tags：[Texas Hornets, Wasps, Hornets vs Wasps, Hornet Identification, Wasp Nests, Hornet Nests, Insect Stings, Texas Insects, Pest Control]