I have a love/hate relationship with hornets. Every year they visit our garden, with their characteristic droning signature tune announcing their arrival. They grab other insects, even wasps, and have penchant for the apples from one of our trees.

They fly at night, gathering up the moths in our nocturnal garden. Last year was unusual. They took it one step further and bashed against any lit up window. Sometimes five or six of them fighting  between themselves to get in. When a hornet bashes against a window, you know it. There is a thud like a small stone hitting the window.

Fortunately this year, they haven’t tried.

These little creatures seem to be as curious of us as we are of them. Sometimes flying level with our faces, looking us straight in the eyes. They are unlikely to attack, unless we are foolish enough to approach their nest, which is always a long way away. I’ve fed exhausted ones sugar in water, after being trapped in the house.

They don’t take kindly to being photographed. Usually I’ll shot and run, because even after all these years, I still find them intimidating. The hornet on the flowering ivy was more intent on feeding.

I still didn’t linger.

There are only two questions:

who is Si and ……….

why, in the name of all that is good, is he wandering around the countryside signing fly agarics?

😀