Saturday, August 30, 2008

Ugly Little Buzzers

Saturday? Where has the week gone. Oh yah, that's right, up in smoke, literally. I'm better today, though. See? Writing that letter did help. Never fear - I didn't send it - it truly wasn't the kind of letter I would send anybody. I just had to vent a bit so thanks for listening. So if you want to go read about the temporary solution here's the location:

http://skybluewaters.wordpress.com/

And the password is the same as before.

Had a bit of excitement at our house this morning. Ole was up bright and early and because it was so nice out he decided he was going to complete some outside chores that we've been putting off because it's been so hot.

There were several pieces of facia that still needed to be put back up on the roof after doing the shingle job last summer. Gosh, that was way back in June. Where has the summer gone? So as he was crawling up the ladder to do it, out from a crack between two roof boards came a swarm of wasps. I've been noticing a lot of them buzzing around all summer - more than usual - but didn't think anything of it. Never ever thought we'd have a nest in our attic. But the little yellow buzzers with the big stingers just made themselves right at home in MY house, uninvited.

I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth when Ole came tearing in (well, not exactly tearing, Ole doesn't tear much - he's usually pretty cool) yelling at me to find the wasp spray because we have an "issue." I went digging in my cupboards in the garage, looking through all kinds of poisons and sprays - rose spray, nope, fungicide, nope, time release fertilizer, nope - Ah, there it is way in the farthest corner. Wasp and hornet killer - three cans.

We went around the corner and he showed me the itty bitty hole that these buzzers were flying in and out of. And you know, there's nothing worse than an angry bug with a stinger, a big stinger. Ole had been up on the ladder pounding on the facia which must have disturbed these buzzers and they all came flying out. Fortunately he wasn't right by their hole, just a few feet away, so apparently they weren't able to determine it was HIM who was making all that racket. Needless to say he climbed down this 15 foot ladder as fast as he could and managed to come out of there without any stingers deposited in his body.

So now we were armed - well kind of. He took aim with one can and I took aim with the other. He's a much better shot than I am, but we managed to bring down a few carcasses. They didn't quite drop like flies, but it was nice to watch them dive bombing and then drop to the ground, lifeless. When things had calmed down a bit he climbed the ladder again (brave soul) and shot the remainder of the two cans into the hole, then put the remaining facia on the side of the roof, nailing them into their coffin.

Now I have just one question. Why were wasps put on this Earth, anyway. They serve absolutely no purpose and are mean and crabby all the time. Ugly little buzzers.

Oh, by the way, someone awhile back asked if the pictures on this page, top and bottom, were of my flower gardens. I must admit, yes, they are.

5 comments:

Meggie Marchstives@gmail.com said...

I have an intense fear of wasps -- especially red wasps and hornets. I avoid them like the plague. If one got into the house I used to make my husband come kill it while I hid in another room with the door closed until the deed was done. I've gotten better about taking care of them myself because I don't want to spend the rest of my life in fear. I keep the windows on my car rolled up all the time for fear a stinging insect will fly in and I'll have a wreck. They make my skin crawl.

Anonymous said...

wasps!!! yeeeeee!!! you guys are braver than i am with wasps!!!

Anonymous said...

I would have been screaming like a girl with all those wasps flying around. Glad Ole made it without being stung. Your flowers are so beautiful. You have a knack for growing flowers. Wish I did.

~Shear

Anonymous said...

We just had a similar experience (and conversation about the usefulness of wasps) this weekend. Must to WASP time.

Anonymous said...

yikers... That hurts just thinking about it. We have a nest above our door ..Hubby says it has been to windy to spray.? We have a foam stuff that is so cool. I don't know where the bumper crop come from... sure points out where you need to fix don't it?