The Hive: The Malthus Bug Thread

[Caliga]

Though one wonders how a tarantula came in contact with a black widow's web. One has to suspect human agency.

Tim, that's not a black widow.  They're not even close to that large.  Not sure what species it is, but definitely not a widow.

[Malthus]

I think I'll have nightmares for the next few weeks.

CLEAN OUT YOUR DAMN GARAGE

[Malthus]

Have they looked.... IN THE NEST!?

*duh-duh-duuuuuuuuuuh*

Superhero origin fail?

The owner is "missing". How do you know it wasn't a success?

On the other hand, why do you think he's a hero? 

I assume he's still alive, kept paralized inside that hive. 

[jimmy olsen]

Exterminator takes on a Yellow jacket nest six feet high and eight feet wide, with thousands of queens and millions of workers.

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/52295277/#52295277

SEE IT: Entomologist films terrifying encounter with giant yellow jacket nest — as tall as a man

'This is the largest nest I've ever seen in my entire life. I've been doing this for over 20 years. They're all over me,' says Jonathan Simkins. Luckily he was wearing a sting-proof suit.
Comments (5)
By Nina Golgowski / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, June 24, 2013, 2:56 PM

Not everything in the South emits southern hospitality as chilling video taken by a death-defying entomologist reveals.

The terrifying encounter between a Central Florida entomologist and a Southern Yellow Jacket nest towering more than 6 feet, five inches tall and 8 feet wide has been captured on film showing the man narrowly escaping with his life.

"I have never seen a nest this large in my entire life," said Jonathan Simkins while harrowingly filming his recent encounter in a protective full-body suit. "This is the prehistoric nest from the dinosaur ages."

In the video obtained by WFLA Simkins estimates he had come upon thousands of queens and millions of workers.

Those workers being Southern Yellow Jackets are at all times poised and ready to attack within 2-3 seconds' of provocation, he explained.


"A provocation can be as simple as a guard smelling the odor of a mammal, or vibrations from walking nearby," Simkins' website All Florida Bee Removal explains.

Once their attack is decided a pheromone is released and in Simkins' case that afternoon, it sent millions of deadly wasps swarming in his direction.

"It looks like they're already coming to check me out," Simkins says in his video before the wasp nest is even in sight.

Within minutes, audio from Simkins' camera captures the millions of wasps pelting the device like a steady stream of hail.


"This is amazing. The size of this nest. The numbers flying around here, this is the largest nest I've ever seen in my entire life. I've been doing this for over 20 years. They're all over me," Simkins enthusiastically belts out from inside his head-to-toe suit.

"OK one sting so far, right in the chin. I just got a little irresponsible here," he admits while huridly turning between the camera and the nest.

The entomologist said he used a spray as well as his own technique to kill the nest.

Later, while recounting the episode from the safety of a parking lot he revealed that there were a few times he had to had to momentarily break away in fear of losing his life.

"I have to be honest with you, I was terrified at one point, and there were several times that I had to pull out and get a breather. My heart rate was racing, I had hundreds of them on my veil," he told WFLA. "I had so many yellowjackets on me, they kept finding a way in."

The nest was reported to Simkins after its discovery on private land used by hunters.

"...if somebody comes across this, you're not going to get away," he chillingly said of the nest.

"You can see in the video, I run a hundred yards away and I still have thousands of yellow jackets chasing me, all over me, trying to kill me."

Following up his video Simkins returned the next day, suit off, to show the result of his pest control.

There the remains of the nest stood, empty, not an audible buzzing or humming heard.

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[Malthus]

That's an awesome video for anyone with a phobia. 

Not sure that exterminator guy wasn't exaggerating the danger to himself though - if you are wearing a bee suit, there is not much even a million wasps can do.

[Maximus]

That's an awesome video for anyone with a phobia. 

Not sure that exterminator guy wasn't exaggerating the danger to himself though - if you are wearing a bee suit, there is not much even a million wasps can do.

I grew up on a bee farm. My experience is those suits only reduce the number of stings.

It would of course be possible to build a completely bee-proof suit(e.g. a hazmat suit would likely work), but it would be expensive, hot, uncomfortable and probably hard to work in.

[Malthus]

That's an awesome video for anyone with a phobia. 

Not sure that exterminator guy wasn't exaggerating the danger to himself though - if you are wearing a bee suit, there is not much even a million wasps can do.

I grew up on a bee farm. My experience is those suits only reduce the number of stings.

It would of course be possible to build a completely bee-proof suit(e.g. a hazmat suit would likely work), but it would be expensive, hot, uncomfortable and probably hard to work in.

I'd imagine that tackling that particular nest, the drawbacks of hot and uncomfortable would be worth it. 

The guy in the video says some got in.

[DGuller]

Gee, I wonder why bees are disappearing in US.  Could be that they're being exterminated? 

[Maximus]

Those weren't bees

[Malthus]

Those weren't bees

Send him out to collect all the sweet, sweet honey from that thing.   

[merithyn]

Gee, I wonder why bees are disappearing in US.  Could be that they're being exterminated? 

If I remember correctly, those yellow jacket wasps are one of the reasons that bees are disappearing. The yellow jackets kill the bees.

[garbon]

I feel like that story is a case where you should just nuke it from orbit.

[Malthus]

I feel like that story is a case where you should just nuke it from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.

Plus, it's central Florida. No-one would miss it. 

[Caliga]

 

[garbon]

Maybe by no-one he meant me.