'HORNET WARNING!' Murder Hornet, Scary Murder Hornet, Run for cover!

As a crochet designer, I sometimes get requests for some strange items.  But none have been stranger than my most recent commission,   A MURDER HORNET! 

These scary insects are getting some viral publicity lately.  So it was not hard to do the research and find plenty of images to study this murderous bee!

It seems they originate in Asia, so they are not a new species.  And contrary to what you might think from all the press they are getting, only one has been found in the US up to now.  And that one was dead.

They say the sting from this beast is horrifically painful and that it sounds like a helicopter when it is flying.  They also say these bees will not sting unless provoked.

I thoroughly enjoyed my brief research on this bee, and was able to find enough information to begin formulating a plan for designing one to crochet.

I started with the head as it looked to be the most complex and detailed.  I also knew that the rest of the hornet needed to be in appropriate proportions to the head.  The eyes would have to be large and menacing, so I used 20mm shiny black shank buttons.  The antenna and the legs were a bit of a conundrum as they have to be ultra skinny.  It's extremely fussy to crochet a tube that small so I compromised with myself and used chenille stems.  The thorax and body of the hornet were just a matter of shaping.  The wings, though, were a different story.  After collaborating with my favorite sister, Kathy                                                                                              Bates, we came up with a workable solution. 

The wings needed to be translucent with a bit of rigidity.  A plastic lettuce container seemed to be a perfect fit for this.  Sis cut them out, traced on the veins and mailed them to me!  All I had to do was decide how they would be attached.

I ended up punching holes in the wings and stitching them on to the thorax.   A bonus is that they are a bit movable.

I couldn't resist posing him on my tissue house!  He is a monster!

Don't try this at home!

Alas!  I am terrified of bugs!  In my opinion, the only good bug (or snake) is a dead one.  So here is Murdy playing dead.  Such a good boy!


All in all, I had a blast making this one! 

Sorry, no pattern, but if I get enough requests for one I might be persuaded to write one up.

Be blessed!
Reny