Observations in the Natural World

Only seven hurricanes have gone from Category 1 to Category 5 in 24 hours or less. Milton is now the second fastest to do so  

Wilma: 12 hours
Maria: 18 hours
Milton: 18 hours
Felix: 24 hours
Dean: 24 hours
Andrew: 24 hours
Anita: 24 hours

Quote: terapined

Only seven hurricanes have gone from Category 1 to Category 5 in 24 hours or less. Milton is now the second fastest to do so  

Wilma: 12 hours
Maria: 18 hours
Milton: 18 hours
Felix: 24 hours
Dean: 24 hours
Andrew: 24 hours
Anita: 24 hours

Darn it, I wanted to be part of a record.

Quote: DRich

Darn it, I wanted to be part of a record.

Lobby for a category 6
I think it's dumb to top off at Category 5
Climate change demands we establish a category 6 to break records 😀
Currently Category 5 defined as 157mph to infinity
WTF, infinity??????????

The smaller hurricane winds I've been in (Cat 2) and tropical storm winds don't show up in the sustained winds they are measured in. It's the gusts that last like 30 seconds to a minute where stuff really gets blown or breaks.

Supposedly a Cat 5 can gust over 200mph.

Quote: rxwine

The smaller hurricane winds I've been in (Cat 2) and tropical storm winds don't show up in the sustained winds they are measured in. It's the gusts that last like 30 seconds to a minute where stuff really gets blown or breaks.

Supposedly a Cat 5 can gust over 200mph.

We had 150mph winds here in my city for hurricane Ian.

Every year I have to get rid of yellowjacket groundnests in my yard.

The method I like best is to use a foaming insecticide that uses a straw extension. I find the hole and spray a whole can down it if I can. This last time I learned something. It took more than one try since sometimes the nature of the hole is to make an immediate horizontal turn, and you can't get the straw down the hole properly.

On the second try next day for some reason queen wasps came crawling out of their holes after the spraying ... I guess they sensed the poison even though I did not spray those spots directly. I killed a dozen of these. They are just bigger looking wasps in the case of yellowjackets.

I knew this much: next year's queen wasps dig little holes in the ground outside the nest and overwinter. I was stunned though that so many came crawling out, so I looked it up. A large nest like this was produces thousands of new queens! I was just wasting my time killing a dozen or so!

PS, what I looked up said the queens for next year don't dig their overwintering holes near the current nest. I can say this is not correct, or not always correct anyway. I have observed a queen show up many times, but a dozen really floored me.

In the search I also saw links that said they don't recommend you try getting rid of them yourself, use a pro. This warning does not come from the people who sell the spray though. Ha!

So this is how you do it completely safely. At dusk, it has to be totally dark ... totally. At dawn, though, there can be a bit of light [before sunrise though] since now the wasps are dormant. It should still be dark enough to need a flashlight, but I totally recommend dawn not dusk. The first thing you do is spray this foam over the hole to stop any waking-up wasps from coming out unscathed. Then you can proceed in complete safety to poke the straw down the hole. Have a spadeful of dirt to cover the hole when finished.

What about blowing them up with an M-2000 explosive you can buy on the reservation before the fourth of July?

going somewhere where there are snakes. Finally asked this question to a bot, I've heard of this but have been skeptical. Now I've decided I am taking no chances.

AI Overview [google]
Yes, you can still be bitten and envenomated by a dead snake or a severed snake head.
Why It Happens
• Reflexive Nervous System: Reptiles have low oxygen requirements and primitive nervous systems. Their nerve cells and ion channels can continue to function for minutes to several hours after death.
• Mechanical Compression: Touching or pressing the head or jaws of a dead snake can trigger post-mortem muscle spasms, causing the compressor muscles around the venom glands to squeeze and release venom through the fangs.
• Timeline: Reflexive bites and venom discharges have been documented anywhere from several minutes to over 8 hours post-mortem. Even preserved or freeze-dried fangs can occasionally retain hazardous protein traces.
Safety Precautions
• Do Not Touch: Never handle, pick up, or move a dead snake with your bare hands, even if it appears completely lifeless.
• Treat as an Emergency: If a dead snake's head or body punctures your skin, treat it immediately as a venomous snakebite.
• Medical Care: Seek emergency medical attention right away, as LITFL and clinical case reports confirm that dead copperhead and rattlesnake bites can inject enough venom to require antivenom therapy.
Are you asking because you recently encountered a dead snake, or do you need first-aid steps for a potential bite?