They do sting, and can sting more than once. They are very docile and are not inclined to sting. They make honey but only a very small amount. They do live in colonies, but they are very small. In the spring a Queen emerges from the ground where she winters over and looks for suitable nest. She collects her own pollen and nectar to feed the brood that hatches from her eggs. Once the brood emerges, they take over the collection of the nectar and pollen and take care of the queen who then remains in the nest.

Does the cocoon have a lot of silk around it, where you could stick something through the silk, like a pipe stem cleaner, and attach it to a tree or bush without piercing the pupae inside? Do you have a zip up laundry hamper or other such vented "cage" you could put it in outside somewhere up high enough to not be in the line of ants? You would be sure to see what emerges that way. You could make a bag out of netting to put it in and then hang this bag in a tree. Can you make a picture of this cocoon and post it so we could see what type it is? There are many types of cocoons and many ways you could keep it safe. Sherry

Here's another TERRIFIC recipe that calls for 1/2 pound of ground beef. So terrific, in fact, that next time I will double it and use a whole pound anyway. Actually, now that I think of it, it called for pork, but we don't eat pork, hence my substitution. But it was so heavenly with the beef, I was dreaming of the leftovers. I made this last week for Chinese New Year. I had a lot of napa cabbage and looked through my Chinese cookbooks for something different to do with it. I had potato cellophane noodles on hand, so I used those. I think it will be even better with regular ones. I will be making this often, not just for Chinese menus -- it is a GEM of a recipe because not only is it seriously delicious, it is SO fast -- on the table in about half an hour (at least if you already have minced ginger and minced garlic on hand), but it tastes like it's been simmering all day. Meatball Soup (Baitsai fensz rouwan tang) Adapted from "Harmony of Flavors," by Yung-chi Chao Chen, who writes, "This is a very delicious and substantial soup which combines meat, vegetables, and bean thread. It can be prepared and heated up before being served at banquets as well as at family meals." 2/3 lb. Chinese cabbage (celery cabbage or napa), about 3 cups, 1 1/2" sections 2 oz. dried bean thread (cellophane noodles) 6 cups water 1 1/2 T soy sauce 1/2 t salt For the meatballs: 1/2 lb ground beef [orig. recipe called for ground pork, about 1/4 fat] 1/4 t salt 1 T soy sauce 1 T minced scallion 1/2 t minced ginger root (I keep it already grated in the freezer) 1 t dry sherry 4 T water 2 t cornstarch Preparation 1. In a bowl, mix the meat with the salt, soy sauce, scallion, ginger, and sherry. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time while with a spoon or a fork, mixing in one direction until all the water is used up and the meat has become a smooth paste. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and mix well. 2. Soak the bean thread in hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain and cut the thread into 6 inch lengths. 3. Wash the cabbage and drain. Cut the cabbage stalks into 1 1/2" sections. Cooking In a saucepan bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the cabbage, bring back to a boil, and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the salt, soy sauce, and bean thread and cook for another 2 minutes. With a spoon scoop some meat mixture and with the help of the palm of your left hand, form the meat into a ball about 1 1/4" in diameter. Wet your left hand beforehand and also dip the spoon in a bowl of cold water every time you start a new meat ball. Drop the balls in the boiling soup one by one until all the meat is finished. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes and serve hot. Gung hay fat choy!

Just an fyi, we had some variety of bees squeeze in between a tiny spot of aluminum siding and the electric meter on our house. The bees removed the insulation in an area between studs and pulled grass etc. inside the space. We heard buzzing inside the wall, and noticed an unpleasant odor. We removed a section of drywall and used insect spray to kill them, no other choice. We had to replace the plywood and insulation in the area, do some super cleaning and do some superior caulking. Don't fool around and wait for them to leave or die, you may have a big mess now. Sherry