bit out there, but I've been wondering: There's this wild lilac bush here, and hornets keep landing on it and nibbling at very specific points on the bark. I'm thinking they're excavating/hunting for some kind of larvae or whatever - any idea what this could be about? And whether it's something to worry about? I don't mind the hornets, they're fun neighbors, but the bush looks a bit droopy overall
This was really interesting to research, as I have a phobia wasps and hornets. This is most likely the European Hornet, which have a particular predilection for lilacs.
Wasps girdle bark from branches in order to use the material for building their nests. This often kills the twig. European Hornets particularly pursue flowering plants and fruit trees. They also eat the sap of lilac bushes, so that's what they're eating. As to why they pick specific places, it's likely them looking for younger parts of the plant with softer bark.
bit out there, but I've been wondering: There's this wild lilac bush here, and hornets keep landing on it and nibbling at very specific points on the bark. I'm thinking they're excavating/hunting for some kind of larvae or whatever - any idea what this could be about? And whether it's something to worry about? I don't mind the hornets, they're fun neighbors, but the bush looks a bit droopy overall
This was really interesting to research, as I have a phobia wasps and hornets. This is most likely the European Hornet, which have a particular predilection for lilacs.
Wasps girdle bark from branches in order to use the material for building their nests. This often kills the twig. European Hornets particularly pursue flowering plants and fruit trees. They also eat the sap of lilac bushes, so that's what they're eating. As to why they pick specific places, it's likely them looking for younger parts of the plant with softer bark.
huh, so they really are just taking a nibble. Thank you for checking it out for me!
I took a picture of the action, if you wanna have a look. There's a normal house fly for scale sitting opposite the hornet.