Subject: Magpies and yellow jackets
Date: Aug 13 13:15:30 2000
From: Ruth Taylor - rutht at seanet.com


Hi Kelly & Tweeters:

A few years ago, yellow jackets built a nest under the eaves overhanging the
picture window in my living room. I did not know it was there until I was
home over the weekend and noticed a small but steady stream of crows heading
right toward my window and veering up and to one side, followed by a lot of
rustling noises. When I investigated, I found them ripping at a nest that
was by then a little larger than a softball. Most of it was gone by dark,
and the next day there was only a stub attached to the eave.
I don't know what generated the attack - perhaps it was as simple as that
one noticed it and was joined by a few "friends."
I was curious at the time but soon forgot it until I saw Kelly's post.

Ruth Taylor
Seattle
rutht at seanet.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly Cassidy <lostriver at completebbs.com>
To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, August 12, 2000 8:16 PM
Subject: Magpies and yellow jackets


>A colony of yellow jackets made a nest on the underside of my deck cover a
>few weeks ago. Yesterday, I noticed a few magpies were hanging around the
>deck. I couldn't figure out what they were after until this morning, when
I
>saw the yellow jacket nest was gone. >
>I found the nest, completely emptied of its larvae, on the floor of the
>deck. Apparently, the magpies ate all the larvae. What I'm wondering is
>whether the magpies also knocked down the nest deliberately or found in
>knocked down (by the wind yesterday?) and took advantage of the situation.
>they intentionally seek out yellow jacket nests?