I was on a ladder snipping the spent flower clusters on the top branches of a butterfly bush last evening before dusk. I waited until evening because most of the bees have departed for the night and I didn’t want to be stung if I could help it. A lone hummingbird moth joined me for a while and then a bald-faced hornet. I give bald-faced hornets a wide berth because they can be very unpredictable and really ornery.
The next thing I knew, I heard a loud buzzing and looked to see the hummingbird moth and the bald-faced hornet locked in battle on the ground. I told you those bald-faced hornets can be ornery! Then they parted. The hornet went back to feeding on nectar and I did not see what happened to the moth. Seeing a battle between these two insects was a first for me and was kind of a surprise.
