Freestone County, Texas Reflections Freestone Past/Present By J. R. (SONNY) SESSIONS Special to The News Hornet’s and other Not many today experienced a real Hornet’s nest except those displayed in our local museums. Hornet nests are a usually large paper looking home for thousands of ill-tempered bee like insects. Once found in area woods, attached to high limbs on trees by the hornets. They were very defensive and relentless in their attacks if disturbed. My only experiences with real hornets was iu the early 1940’s near Stewards Mill on the Worth Steward farm which I visited with their grandson Roger David Steward. There were some here and when the opportunity arose we went in his grand parents pickup to the area. With all the vehicles windows rolled up we would ease a .22 rifle out a window crack and shoot into the nest, this crack was closed immediately as the truck was bombarded by the hornets trying to get to us. You did not dare open a window or door and when they finally calmed down we would leave the area. Fortunately we were never stung. I regret today doing this as feel sure they no longer in the area. Have known about Ground Hornets, some call Guinea Hornets after several encounters on the loosing end. Recently Daniel and Jacob fell victim to some in woods at their home neat the Prison. Somehow one got in my feed truck recently and up my britches leg stinging me six times before I could locate and remove. I had always thought they could only sting once like he honey bee. Son Ken was attacked and bitten several times recently after disturbing a nest while on a tractor. He later dug it up and their nest it on display in his office at KDT Const., looks like a 3 or 4 story apartment house about the size of a large dinner plate. Wild honey bee tree cutting an experience, had friend that could follow the workers back to the tree where the honey being stored. The tree would be cut down with wild bee’s everywhere but usually did not sting some; I never stayed this close as watched from a distance. Sometimes there would be several gallons of delicious honey found. In early days this a common practice and way to get something sweet. Of the biting bees the worst to me was the Bumble Bee, as kids we would irritate then fight them with a paddle usually made from old shingles with holes in them. Got educated several times by them. My closest bad run in with them occurred while recuperating from surgery and watching James on tractor, saw what I thought was a wood rat’s nest in the bushes and took a stick and stirred it up, turned out to be a big bumble bee’s nest, James came to my rescue, JR a small child then and usually with us, fortunately wasn’t that day. In the old wooded pastures, especially the mesquite during screwworm days and cattle checked horseback really had to watch where you going as there red and black wasps nests in the trees as large as pie plates. On several occasions had to leave areas as fast as the horses could run with the wasps in hot pursuit. Once nephew William Younger a small child following me on a old gently horse hit one and had problems getting them away. Wasps a problem today as build on porches and such, they nearly always in cattle working chutes and equipment, wasp spray used often. Even been bitten by horse flies in horse riding days.