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Many wasps. As I was checking out the roof I lifted a sheet of the old roofing. To my horror, the thing is covered in wasps. I gently returned the sheet, slipped off the roof, and entered the hen house. I did this because the wasps seemed rather lethargic, probably due to the cooler weather, so I deemed this as safe. I have been checking all summer for wasps. I saw only empty nests and never saw a live wasp. I must have missed something or they have colonized in this last month or two. This time there was a large wasp nest, quite active, and quite spooky. Because of the number of seemingly inactive nests, I have wasp spray on hand. Grabbing that, I read the instructions. The only way I could spray was the way the instructions directed me not to spray. Did I mention I am allergic to stings? I will look in an hour or two, though the instructions suggest waiting a full day. I will not necessarily spray that nest, but I will look for other active nests.
Nothing is as easy as just doing whatever you are doing. This time it was unnerving. A single sting, but definitely two or three, would very possibly have found me calling 911 and hoping. A dozen and I might not have made it to the house? It looked like, from the top area and the nest, that there are several hundred there or around. Why is it that every job becomes complicated to the point of continual stoppage. Adding to my typical troubles, life becomes quite problematic. One of the things on my mind is what to do with the shingles. The wood I can store, but I am not sure about the shingles. Depending on how much I pull off, I might be able to simply throw it in the trash. No guarantee though, and there is a risk of a fine. Same with yard debris from raking and the pruning materials. None of it can be burned, it will not fit in special bags, so... what?
Did I mention I was wearing a long sleeved yellow shirt? It is the only long sleeve work shirt I have. I am not sure if that would incense the wasps, but if yellow does, this would, in spades. When I work, I wear long sleaves, gloves, and thick work pants. But is that really enough, are wasps smartly aggressive or mindless attackers? Bah! I am doing research on wasps now.
Update:
Paper wasps. All sorts of sites indicate how good these wasps are for the environment. Nice, but uhm, perhaps they would be willing to collect them? I did not think so. The good news is my chosen method is the one that they recommend. The problem is the hive is only a few feet from the entrance, so a 20 foot distance between the comb and me was impossible. I used the doorway way as a means of shielding myself. There is room for them to see out and come out of the side of the roof, but there was no other way to spray. It worked, I guess. I hope there is only one nest in there. With that many wasps, I sort of expect that to be the case.
There were a tremendous number of wasps in my garden before I did all the mowing and tilling, doing what I do not know amongst the plants. I don't know where they are staying either, as I discouraged their nest building around the house by spraying wherever they started to build.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere nearby there has to be some big-azz hives.
They were hunting. They are meat eaters. Wasps are excellent farmer friends, unless they kill you. They eat all types of other pest insects. From what I read, they are more dangerous in the latter (hotter) part of summer as that is when their combs/nests is the hottest and most crowded, leading to them being... more cranky (go figure, ha). And more, they are more dangerous near their roosts than not.
ReplyDeleteThe one you should really watch for is the yellow jacket. They are extremely aggressive and can have up to 5k in a nest (theirs is underground). The paper wasps live in combs of up to several hundred (per comb). As long as paper wasps aren't nesting near an entrance, exit, or in a building... As for me, I would leave those. *sigh* I suppose I have some greenish tendencies, even with my fear and allergies.
That is... give or take and as I understood.