What do Hornet Queens eat?

[Geoff F]

There were several hornet queens flying around me today but they wouldn't stop for a photo, but eventually one grabbed a larger prey item and landed in a nearby small tree to consume its meal. I slowly edged my way into a possible camera angle between the leaves and found the hornet eating a Long-winged Conehead (type of cricket).



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens 1/200 F14 Iso 400 with a little bit of flash.

No relation, except the common name. A Hornet Robberfly which is one species which has done well this year with the warmer weather.

[Cantab]

A good pair of photos. Congratulations on your tracking skills in getting the first shot. Did you see how the hornet initially imobilized her prey, almost as big as she is?

[Geoff F]

There was just a 'woosh' Bruce and up into the nearby willow tree. Those Coneheads are certainly chunky creatures, nearly an inch long including tail, but of course, queen hornets are sizeable beasts as well.

A bit of a struggle to get my tripod at a workable angle looking up into the leaves and a bit of compromise with the flash settings to avoid over exposing the hornet's abdomen or disturbing it.

[Bear Dale]

Terrific capture!

[Shadowman]

Nice shots.

[FootLoose]

Good image, Geoff. You must have been working fast to track it down and set up a tripod before it took off.

[wilgk]

Great work!

[John 2]

Tremendous shots and well made. I not keen on our world at the moment but I wouldn't swap it for theirs.

[JBW]

very nice.

[Ken MT]

Answer
"https://dengarden.com/pest-control/Interesting-Facts-About-Hornets-Large-Wasps-With-Paper-Nests"

[Geoff F]

Interesting information there, Ken.

In mid July this year, I photographed hornets nesting in an old bird box at the same site. This was the third year they had used that box. In the winter, when I am cleaning out the bird boxes, I remove the old hornet nest ready for them to start again the following year.

[Geoff F]

Good image, Geoff. You must have been working fast to track it down and set up a tripod before it took off.

I was already set up for other insects but had been keeping an eye out for the hornets, which were flying around my legs while searching for suitable prey, so I had been hoping to get some shots of them if they landed and stayed still for long enough.