A peculiar "sake bottle" at Fukuchiyama Castle

Translated from the original article at: http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20120619-00000302-rtn-l26

Sent out on June 19th, 5:26PM by the Ryoutan Shinbun

A sake bottle shaped hornet nest at Fukuchiyama Castle.

A hornets' nest appearing to be an upside down sake bottle was recently discovered at Fukuchiyama Castle in Itchōme Naiki, Fukuchiyama City.

When queried, the Itami City Museum of Insects (Hyogo prefecture) stated that the nest appeared to have been created by the yellow vented hornet. Usually, the female queen begins creating the nest from the beginning of May. It appears as a sake bottle during the first stage of construction, eventually being finished off as its normal round shape.

Though yellow vented hornets are not aggressive by nature, caution should be observed as nests can be located on nearby garden trees, shrubs and under the eaves of houses.

The nest was located 4 meters off the ground, under the eaves of a castle connection point.

 　

Although none of the castle visitors appeared to have been stung by hornets, the staff quickly removed what remained of the nest. Upon examination, the nest measured 11 centimeters long. Inside, 6 larvae were discovered.

Original text:

福知山城に とっくりニョッキリ

両丹日日新聞 6月19日(火)17時26分配信

福知山城に作られたとっくり状の巣

とっくりを逆さにしたような蜂の巣が、福知山市内記一丁目の福知山城でこのほど見つかった。

兵庫県の伊丹市昆虫館に問い合わせると、巣を作ったのは「コガタスズメバチ」とみられる。通常、女王蜂が５月上旬から巣を作り始め、初期はとっくり状だが、やがて丸い形に仕上がるという。

人家の軒下や低木、庭木などでよく見かけられるもので、攻撃性は強くないが注意はいる。

 　

巣が作られたのは続櫓の軒下。高さ４メートルあたりにあった。

入館者が刺されないようにと職員がすぐに取り除き、調べたところ長さは１１センチあり、なかには幼虫が６匹いた。