perhaps showing my ignorance, but I thought they were carnivores...

Notice I said "sometimes". I've had it happen twice that I can remember. Still hurts. Kinda like a good chunk of goldenrod stalk that gets thrown off the weed eater hitting you. But, usually, they just start stinging. Hence.............. They suck.

A friend and I found a nest in a apple tree beside his garage So like dummies we threw stones
@ the nest and hid around the corner of the garage. well one time we jumped out to throw a stone
and I was whacked right between the eyes. we stayed away from them to fall, then shot the nest down with shotguns.

Well they can build off my property
Good and bad they are

I now know what the vc felt when the hueys were circling. Had a horn tailed wasp circling my head while building my grandsons play house. Low slow and loud. Scared the bee beejesus outra me.

They have been all over my trumpet Vines this week