On 17 Sep 2004 20:00:40 -0500, tweaked vvv wrote:

On a related note, how could I go about locating a nest. I'm getting
swarmed but have no idea where they are.

Well, THERE is the million dollar question!

I find many small nests under eaves, deck over-hangs, etc. Basically
under any protected and warm area (never on the north side of the
house). These are usually less than 2 inches across, a cluster of
hexagonal cells. They're easily spotted and easily eliminated after
dark with an aerosol "hornet and wasp" spray.

But they also nest under ground, in holes left by other critters. I'm
told these nests can become quite large. They are most easily located
by stepping upon or near them. Just trace the stream of enraged
insects as they ascend your pant leg back to the little hole in the
ground from which they emanate!

I've found two nests this way. On the last one I got 14 stings. I
ran back to the house, tearing off my clothes (they were up my pant
legs and under my shirt--clinging and stinging).

They behave quite differently when protecting the nest compared to
their food hunting behavior. I read once that they go out for food on
about a 2-hour "schedule." They are far less likely to sting when
food hunting. Only the females sting, but the males can give a pretty
good bite (for what that info is worth! :-)

The underground nests I've seen were pretty busy, traffic-wise. So
with luck you might see a few of them taking off and landing in one
spot in the grass.

If you have a tenacious and fleet-footed child, you might be able to
convince (bribe?) him or her to follow one, but as I'm sure you've
already noticed, they zoom around pretty wildly.

--John W. Wells