Posted on 06/25/2013 10:45:41 AM PDT by nickcarraway
‘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.
The Southern Yellow Jacket nest towered more than 6 feet, five inches tall and 8 feet wide. WFLA
The Southern Yellow Jacket nest found in the woods of Central Florida towered more than 6 feet, five inches tall and 8 feet wide. 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.
Jonathan Simkins has been working in the industry for more than twenty years but said he's never seen anything like this. WFLA
Jonathan Simkins has been working in the industry for more than twenty years but said he's never seen anything like this. RELATED: HONEY POPPING UP IN DARK SPIRITS
"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.
Before fully approaching the nest Simkins covered up in a protective head-to-toe suit but revealed that it didn't stop all the yellow jackets from finding a way inside to sting him. WFLA
Before fully approaching the nest Simkins covered up in a protective head-to-toe suit but revealed that it didn't stop all the yellow jackets from finding a way inside to sting him. "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.
Simkins, seen after eraticating the insects from a private property used by hunters, revealed that there were a few times he worried for his own safety. WFLA
Simkins, seen after eraticating the insects from a private property used by hunters, revealed that there were a few times he worried for his own safety.
"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.
TTIWWP
I don’t care for yellow jackets but we have hornets around here that live in the ground. You can’t really see their nest but if you walk too close, they’ll come out and the stinging is on. Hornet stings are much more painful than yellow jackets.
I run away from anything with a stinger because I don’t know if I’m allergic. I’d much prefer not to find out the hard way.
there is a good pic at the link in Op
Now that’s a valid target for a domestic, ahem, drone strike. :)
What is that?
Typical hornet nest:
Hahah...I’ll guess it is a “Stinger”...:)
Can’t do rum anymore.
Ping for later
I found out 1) Exactly how fast I can move, when needed. and 2) That it's easier to drop a shoulder and go through a picket fence than around it.
The little #@$@#$@$s chased me all the way into my backyard. Mrs WBill opened the door to our back porch and shouted, "What are you doing, and why are you in the backyard taking all your clothes off?"
"Shut the dammed door before you let the @#%@#$%@#%@s in!!!" I shouted. It's likely the only time I've ever cursed at my wife, but she forgave me under the circumstances.
Managed to get away with only a 15 or 20 stings. Anbesol works wonders for treating them. Problem was that they got into my clothes, and would just keep on stinging.
Now, the picture of a naked crazy man hopping up and down in the backyard is funny....but at the time, not so much.
I hate Yellow Jackets.
Good God!
I hate yellow jackets. There was a little bitty nest in one of the hollow metal tubes on my storage shed door. When I opened the door, out they came, only about 5.
I ran back from the door, turned around to try and see exactly where they were coming from, and one of them dive bombed my eye, I mean a direct shot right on the eyeball at full speed...that bounced off my glasses...
It sounded like a rock hitting them. Then I ran inside and loaded the 12 gauge. Just kidding.
I really cannot imagine what that would have felt like if my glasses had not shielded the attack.
12 gauge would have been a good idea. I shot the nest I "found" with a couple of cans of Bee-Bopper. Problem resolved. But a 12 gauge would have been a whole lot more satisfying.
After the attack, I sat at the front window with a pair of binoculars, muttering curses, and looking for the nest so I could clean it out. Mrs WBill said that I looked like Carl the Groundskeeper from CaddyShack.
Funny thing was that I left the lawnmower right where it was. The @#%$#@%$ things kept attacking the lawnmower for hours after I ran the nest over.
I really, really hate yellow jackets.
LOL!
Giant nests like that are not common at all. Usually, Yellowjackets make fairly small nests in border areas - fence rows, house edges, etc., usually IN the ground with little to warn that there is a nest present.
Makes one wonder how long that next had been their, apparently un-disturbed.
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