Abandoned Hornet Nest an Opportunity for Learning
By SARAH ROBERTS
COOPERSTOWN
On December 13, Cooperstown resident Ellen Pope made an unusual offer on the “Celebrate Cooperstown” Facebook page, seeking a new home for a large bald-faced hornet’s nest that had been growing in her garage for months.
“I honestly didn’t notice it until maybe July, and by then it was too big to knock down safely. Since it was on the opposite side of the door from the garage door opener button, and the movement of the door didn’t seem to agitate them that much, I decided to let them be,” Pope said. “We’d collide occasionally, but they just went on their way. I never got stung.”
Once the hornets were gone and the nest could be removed without risk of harm to human or insect, Pope decided to offer the nest to any teacher or naturalist who would like to use the nest for educational purposes.
