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Quote: Originally posted by gingerlily on 05/9/2008

It was boiling hot though, which surprised me, felt hotter than the Mediterranean.

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I only saw one hornet in Dordogne, good job hubby didnt or he would have legged it, bad enough a dragonfly coming into the caravan, he just locked himself in the toilet and shouted for me to deal with it.       

Quote: Originally posted by happybonzo on 05/9/2008

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Better get Wikipedia to update their pages then - bit like the Squaddie who has unwittingly brought a Camel spider back in his kit from Iraq

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Yep, Wikipedia is behind in the times -  see here

However, after much research, it is not actually THE Asian Giant Hornet which is so vicious with a terrible sting etc, rather it is simply Asian Hornet (thought it is giant!) See here the difference and also the story on how they may have arrived in France in 2007 here

So you can camp a little easier now that you know your leg won't drop off if you get stung, however they are still not to be trifled with - any wasp with a sting that big is going to be painful!

The ones I saw were bigger than the one on the pic above, couldn't believe the size of them!

Quote: Originally posted by xtinexoop on 07/9/2008

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When we were at Puy du Fou we noticed the wasps were particularly attracted to the kids eating ice cream.

 

Ice cream and apples - one French child in front of us had several around him even after he had finished his apple and then one landed on his face. His mum told him to sit completely still which he amazingly did while it crawled around his face for several minutes and then eventually flew off. Poor little chap was only about six but was so good, especially considering most people start flapping wildly when one comes within five feet of them.

Susie