A Lesson in Respect: Bald-faced Hornets
by Doug Reeves, assistant chief, DNR Wildlife Division I don’t believe I have ever seen a Norman Rockwell painting that includes boys standing on a gravel road with stones in hand looking up at a bald-faced hornet nest, but such a scene is about as classic “Americana” as you can get. Rockwell should have painted that scene – I doubt that there are many children who grew up on a farm or in a rural area who have not been part of one like it. Oh the lessons that are learned outdoors! When I think of bald-faced hornets the first word that comes to mind is “respect,” and I do mean RESPECT – as in, “to avoid violation of or interference with” (American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition). For some people, the thought of bald-faced hornets conjures up fear. For those who have hyper-allergic reactions to stings, that fear is justified. For the rest of us, a healthy dose of respect is all that is required to live around these creatures. They don’t seek us out looking for ways ...