Ouch

[fbhjr]

So, when I got home from work today there was a notice saying they were going to do maintenance on our porches and we had to get all of our stuff off of them.
We used to sit out there a lot a long time ago. But we had a wasp problem. The last time I was stung by one, on the ankle, my foot swelled up enough I couldn’t wear my shoe. That was 20 years ago. I’ve tried to avoid them since.

But, that was years ago we saw them out there. No sign since. Lots of planters, old tent parts and the floor mats from my wife’s car out there.

So, I took a couple of industrial size trash bags and bagged them all up. I carried the bags down to the dumpster and threw them in.

That only left the floor mats.
I hadn’t know that was where the wasps were.
By then it was dark, and fairly cold. (About 50 degrees F.)
The dark is bad, as I didn’t see them come at me until they got to me.
The cold is good as only two managed to sting me before I realized what was happening, got inside and closed the door.
For the next 2 hours I heard the little tap, tap against the glass as they tried to get in. I think it is not so much to get me as to get to the heat once they got stirred up. I think this as three did get in and have spent the last two hours flying around our chandelier instead of chasing me.
But, there are still a few on the glass looking in.


I did put baking soda on the stings as soon as I could. I was told growing up that helps. So far just red marks, no major swelling. So hopefully it will be OK. I’m pretty sure if anything really bad was going to happen, it would have already

I’m very glad it happened at the end. If it was at the start I’d never have gotten the other stuff off of there. As it is, it isn’t going to get cleaner for the work me. I should probably warn them, right?

[Poll #1273830]

Comments

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

Ugh!

I hope the two of you are OK.

I hope it gets colder so they freeze and die.

bugs that eat meat and sting to kill...whodathunk?

Darwin can continue to de-evolve in his grave :P

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

Well, if they were bees, and not wasps, they probably wouldn't have stung you. While wasps do help with the whole pollination thing, they aren't nearly as helpful as bees are - I always wipe out any wasp nests I see forming around our house or garage - hopefully the chilly weather will get them soon. One trick to keep in mind if you see their nest is to get out there and knock it down, crush and spray it with wasp killer early in the morning after a cold night - they'll be much more lethargic from the cold overnight weather. Once they've had all day to warm up again, it takes awhile for them to cool off (literally and figuratively).. Probably the maintenance people will take care of it for you if you warn them about it in advance, and maybe leave them donuts or something ;-)

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

They are almost certainly wasps not bees.
I do use the term bee for most of that sort of bug. Bee, wasp, hornet... But that is wrong of me to do. It unfairly picks on bees.