[at-l] Check out this story

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

At 11:30 AM 7/13/2004 -0400, Bror8588@aol.com wrote:
>So, now, when I hammock, I look up and try to determine if there is a 
>hornet's nest in the trees that I am tying my hammock to as well as in the 
>surrounding trees.  I don't want to be "surprised" some morning.

It's a good plan to look up before hanging a hammock and not just on the 
chance that there might be a hornet's nest or bee hive (why aren't they 
both nests, or hives?) but you want check for dead limbs that might be 
shaken loose and fall on you.


>And, even when Hammocking it is possible to encounter Yellow Jackets that 
>nest in the ground nearby.  Those stings may be somewhat therapeutic (the 
>protein in the venom may help with arthritis, etc.), but too much of a 
>good thing is too much.

True and none of the yellow jacket holes I've encountered had any mound to 
tip me off that they were there. Aside from the one I mentioned, I've twice 
had nests in my yard and came upon the third in the middle of the trail in 
the Adirondacks. All three were inconspicuous holes, flush with the 
surrounding ground and about an inch across. The ones in the yard were 
*discovered* by others and I was tipped off to the one on the trail because 
a prior hiker had stuck a note to a shrub warning of the nest in the trail.