Chinese Army Using Flame Thrower To Take Down Wasp Nest

[Mr King]

http://youtu.be/8_Bo2ro60ro

 

Found it interesting. Apparently the Chinese still feel there is a need for flame throwers to be kept around.

[Marek Tucan]

It's better to light a flamethrower than to curse darkness...

[Wobbly Head]

When you are dealing with these wasps

A flame thrower is not overkill.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/03/world/asia/hornet-attack-china/

[pikachu]

When you are dealing with these wasps

A flame thrower is not overkill.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/03/world/asia/hornet-attack-china/

 

In the PLA, flamethrowers are deployed to Engineers Battalions for use in all sorts of non-combat work. This usually means stuff like clearing vegetation for construction. However, because PLA Engineers (like the US Army Corps of Engineers) are often deployed to aid in civilian work, occasionally pest control ends up on the list of stuff to do. Taking care of giant wasps is one use for the flamethrowers, but PETA probably won't like the other common use for it: Clearing burrows. There's currently a Central Asian rodent outbreak affecting China's Xinjiang province. Some say this is caused by the draining of the Aral Sea during Soviet times, but whatever the case marmots are eating the grasslands bare. Their population is extremely hard to control because the use of poison must be limited (and many colonies have figured out not to eat food left by strangers), so the surefire way nowadays for a village to get rid of unwanted guests is to call the local garrison and have them send a flamethrower unit. Apparently this works quite well.

[snafu_72]

Teach a man to light a fire and warm him for a day.

Set a man on fire and warm him for the rest of his life.

[shep854]

Those bugs have got to be hitting the upper limit of possible size for flying insects! I was beginning to think they may have been photoshops.

[MiloMorai]

Isn't it rather dangerous for the soldier with the flamethrower on his shoulder?

[sunday]

Those bugs have got to be hitting the upper limit of possible size for flying insects! I was beginning to think they may have been photoshops.

 

A bit bigger, and I see the Chinese using SAMs...

[shep854]

...or pull their AAA units from rainmaking.

[Chris Werb]

Those bugs have got to be hitting the upper limit of possible size for flying insects! I was beginning to think they may have been photoshops.

 

They got a lot bigger in the past when oxygen levels were higher.

 

http://www.karencarr.com/portfolio-images/Dinosaurs%20and%20ancient%20life/Permian/Audubon%20Institute%20Insectarium/Audubon%20Insectarium%20Meganeuropsis%20detail/67

[Marcello]

Those bugs have got to be hitting the upper limit of possible size for flying insects! I was beginning to think they may have been photoshops.

 

I had a few like that in my garden, perhaps slighty smaller than that but not by much. They could hollow out apples.

[shep854]

I'm a believer...(shudder):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9moYRMdzy8&feature=player_detailpage

[Max H]

[Jeff]

Chief of Police - "Apparently, you like a little edge."

Dirty Harry - "All I can get, sir."

[R011]

 

Is this gonna be a standup fight, comrade lieutenant, or another bughunt?

[mnm]

 

Those bugs have got to be hitting the upper limit of possible size for flying insects! I was beginning to think they may have been photoshops.

 

They got a lot bigger in the past when oxygen levels were higher.

 

 

So that was before President Bush started warming the planet, right?