Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/10/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks, Ric. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA On 10/2/2016 1:31 PM, RicCarter wrote: > fascinating! > > ric > > >> On Oct 2, 2016, at 1:31 PM, Jim Nichols <jhnichols at lighttube.net> >> wrote: >> >> Several weeks ago, I discovered a Yellow Jacket nest in my back yard. I >> kept a wary eye on it, but worried that my lawn maintenance guy might get >> stung. >> >> On Friday, the local newspaper, The Tullahoma News, ran an article on a >> Winchester, TN resident who traps Yellow Jackets, Hornets, and Guinea >> Wasps, and freezes them, eventually packing them in dry ice and shipping >> them to the lab of AKL Source Material in Pennsylvania. There, the venom >> sacs are extracted by hand and used to create anti-venom. I gave him a >> call and told him about my nest. He arrived yesterday afternoon as I was >> watching a football game. >> >> I decided to document the process. The first photo shows the nest >> entrance as I found it, essentially a hole in the ground laid bare by the >> passage of many insects. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Yellow+Jacket+Nest.TIFF.html >> >> Pete Waldenmaier's "BeeBusters" truck. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Bee+Busters+Truck.tif.html >> >> The vacuum trap, essentially a tank vacuum cleaner with a special >> collector trap. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/The+Vacuum+Trap.tif.html >> >> The trap in position at the nest hole. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Trap+in+Position.tif.html >> >> Final adjustments. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Final+Adjustments.tif.html >> >> After about an hour, the insect stream slows, so Pete hammers on the >> ground to disturb them, and more start flying out. The vacuum captures >> most of them immediately. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Hammering+on+the+Ground.tif.html >> >> His truck is filled with support equipment, including a freezer and >> bottles of carbon dioxide. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Support+Equipment.tif.html >> >> The final product is a bottle of Yellow Jackets. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Yellow+Jackets.tif.html >> >> Pete stuns the insects with carbon dioxide before placing them in the >> freezer to die. To be usable, the insects must remain frozen until the >> venom sacs are harvested at the lab. >> >> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Stunning+with+Carbon+Dioxide.tif.html >> >> While he had this operation going on at my house, he had a parallel >> operation going on about 15 miles away. I'm told there are only about 40 >> of these collectors nationwide. >> >> Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated. >> >> -- >> Jim Nichols >> Tullahoma, TN USA >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >