This is the third paper nest this year I've had to knock down. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this one going up at the top of the door jamb between my living room and the balcony. That's a little too close to home for me. Doesn't he look positively wicked? The yellow jackets make the gray paper themselves by chewing on slivers of wood. The young are hatched and food is stored in the nest’s center or "core" of hexagonal cells. That's today's science lesson from the cottage. my Nikon photo
8 comments:
Yes he does! I hate them with a venom equal their own.
Hi Rosemary!
That wicked little bee is poison to me! I am so allergic to them. Cursed to carrying around an EpiPen in the late summer months when they get super aggressive around here.
Did you take that photo?
Great pic!
xox
Alison
Alison...
Those yellow jackets are very dangerous. My dog Webster disturbed an underground nest last summer and was absolutely covered with them but he survived. I'm sorry you have to carry an EpiPen. Around here you would have to carry it in the spring too when they are building their nests.
Yes, that's my photo.
Be careful,
Rosemary
They ARE wicked. Got stung once on breast while clipping hedges - WORST pain ever - and shots and anti-histamines.
I was innocently raking leaves when UP from beneath the leaves SWARMED no less than a one hundred million of these yellow jackets, ALL of them with only one thing on their mind: catching/stinging me [as I ran faster than I thought I'd ever be able to run]. Covered in bites, I was. Ugh.
But Rosemary, how is it you can knock the nests down without bringing danger to yourself? Do you wear one of those bee suits to accomplish this nasty task?
-Flo
Flo...
I pick a time when there are no yellow jackets at work. This particular nest is squashed flat as a pancake on the deck floor of my balcony. If you get the nests when they are small, it's pretty easy. I had a huge nest under my attic eaves and I had to hire someone to get rid of it.
The underground nests are the worst of all. Poor you.
I am quick and fearless too.
xo, Rosemary
I need to start checking around my house as in the past I've had them build nests in nooks and eves of our house and porch steps and even on my mailbox post. My guy is allergic to them too.
Rosemary this is a wonderful photo, how close were you to this wasp when you took the picture or were you using a telephoto lens?
Flo, what a frightening experience.
QV -- Victoria, it was 14" away from my head virtually in my living room since I have no screen on that french door yet. I had my Nikon with the telephoto lens but I don't think it was zoomed in very much since I was so close already. I snapped two quick photos and then went to the kitchen for a spatula with a very long blade. I knocked it off the door jamb header and slammed the door. When it flew away I smashed the nest with my foot. They are very determined this year.
xo, Rosemary
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