InsectNet forum

Found this interesting short YouTube (~15 min.) video made by an amateur collector from Thailand who shows & explains to us some of his very nicely mounted, worldwide, Hymenoptera collection. It is quite educational. His solution to retaining the yellow color in wasp abdomens is quite simple... simply snip off the abdomen, gut it, restuff with cotton & then reattach (glue) it back on the body... just like you would do with larger grasshoppers, katydids, stick insects etc. This might work with larger spp. of wasps... but... you might need to do it under a microscope for smaller ones... . This collector is religious & believes in creation vs evolution & mentions this a few times... no problem though... each to their own! He has a few other YouTube videos of other insects in his collection (butterflies, moths, etc.) as well.



Here is a compelling short video of the "Hornet Boy" from Oklahoma showing us his amazing Hymenoptera nest collection that helped him survive the devastating results of his severe SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder)... real proof that insects can be therapeutic... & in his case lifesaving...



John K.

Hello again,

Here is a much more extensive & fascinating video of Hornet Boy's impressive hymenopteran nest collection:



John K.

I have also been an admirer of insect architecture for many years. I have a reasonably good showing of nests numbering about 35 however, unlike this individual I have (personally) harvested/collected every nest that I own.

He does have a few notable ones for their size. I have three or four which I believe would rival his. However, I must admit his perennial nests of the Southern yellow jacket are exceptional finds as well as his 2 nests of the European hornet (Vespa crabro).

I cannot imagine how these sort of things can be sufficiently packaged to prevent damage !