murder hornet, f, side
MURDER HORNET FRIDAY. Shot 2. Here is a lovely side shot of the specimen of Vespa manderinia that Izzy Hill lent us for a mini photo shoot (specimen was purchased online quite a while ago...so not sure of its exact provenance). This species has been recorded over the last 2 years in British Columbia and Washington State. The populations are breeding and everyone up there is scrambling to develop survey techniques, find colonies, and look at strategies for elimination. Because of their predation on European Honeybee colonies, the Bee industry and societies are very worried. Problem is that despite being huge for an insect they are small when compared to vertebrates...Think about all the people that hide out in the wilds that we can't find and the scale becomes daunting....but not impossible given the cleverness of entomologists. These pictures are free to use in any way you wish. Have fun.
We Are Made One with What We Touch and See
We are resolved into the supreme air,
We are made one with what we touch and see,
With our heart's blood each crimson sun is fair,
With our young lives each spring impassioned tree
Flames into green, the wildest beasts that range
The moor our kinsmen are, all life is one, and all is change.
- Oscar Wilde. Original public domain image from Flickr