Found a bald-faced hornet's nest near the house -- right in the middle of the garden. These things are about the most aggressive stinging insects I've come across. Our dog loves to bat at the bees when she's bored, no matter how many times I tell her to be nice and that she's going to regret it. I've never seen her get stung,, but they're also usually bumblebees or slower insects she's picking on. Last night, she picked a fight with a bald-faced hornet that stung her at least once and then stung me 3 times and somehow managed to still hang on to me while we both fled indoors. Then while we were frantically searching for this menace it sneaked up and stung me again in the neck. It took about 5 minutes to corner it and kill it.

After I squashed him I looked him up: They are apparently known for being aggressively defensive, swarming anything that gets too close, and they can sting over and over w/out losing their stinger or dying. I also read this little terrifying factoid: These things *can recognize human faces* and can send out pheromones to tell their fellow hornets who to attack. So now I'm wanted in my own front yard. It's like raptors own the yard or something.

I think it's time to call a professional. No way I'm going near that area again. I can't imagine the pain a whole bunch of those things could cause all at once.