Thursday, July 25, 2013

War


Ok, this is it. I have thrown down the gauntlet. I am tired of dodging and racing from yellow jackets every time I walk out my back door. It is my fault. I let my guard down. This spring I was preoccupied and let some duties slide which included getting out the wasp lure early in the game. I know from experience if you have the traps set when the queens are hunting for a nesting site and you snare them, you wont have any wasps all summer. Tough life, only the queens overwinter, the rest of them die. I wonder if the wasps that are so eagerly protecting her now have a clue how this is going to go down? Anyway, I digress.

This morning I began planning my attack. I watched to see where they were coming in and out of the chinks in the cabin. I cut white electrical tape into small sections and each time I saw a wasp enter a crevice, I snuck in and quickly stuck a piece about an inch above the opening. In my haste to retreat while being pursued, my flip flop caught on the low concrete wall and I went sprawling into the grass. I could have added a sprained ankle to my anger at these buggers but I was lucky. Just a bruise to show for it. As I stand back and look at the rear wall of the cabin, it looks like an adolescent with his first try with a straight razor. Little bits of white dot the wall.

I wait for nightfall when I can empty a can of bee spray into these nests and hopefully rid myself of these invaders. I am not happy doing this but they will not live peacefully with me and my pets. That was always the one rule I had on my farm. No fighting. If a rooster, pig or ram began fighting, he was gone. It only happened a few times but I would not tolerate anyone getting hurt by one of my animals. If you cant get along, you are history. These wasps are making it impossible for me to unload my groceries or enjoy the early morning sun with my coffee. One of us has got to go.

I have declared war and now I must follow through. No prisoners. No negotiations. Plans drawn, weapons ready, I attack at sunset.

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