Bald Faced Hornet

Man there are a lot of bees here.  Laura couldn't figure out why there were so many bees in the backyard.  Several times we tried to eat dinner out on the patio....but couldn't because as soon as we sat down to eat we would be attacked by swarms of bees....where are they all coming from? Laura checked the deck - in all the cracks...looking for hives...nothing.  Stumped, we just stayed inside at night...and then one day, Laura just happened to look out the window and into one of the backyard trees and saw it.... a HUGE hive.  Holy crap.  that is huge!  Well, 2 days later the exterminator came out, identified the bees as a Bald Face Hornet, said our hive was one of the biggest nests he had ever seen and then proceeded to take care of the hive for us.  It was a community event, we had our kids, Becky and Brayden, and all the neighbor kids over to watch the killing of the bees and the removal of the hive.  (we probably should have kept the hive in the tree...I guess they won't re inhabit a hive, and won't build a hive within so much distance of another hive)  oh well... it sure made for a great hands on nature lesson !  Wowzers