Wasps

Warm weather has brought out the wasps. They're inside the house, wriggling in through tiny cracks. My strategy has been to let them land on the windows, and then suck them up with a vaccuum. That's working. They're drawn to sunlight, so windows are a good place to check for them, and I've found that several stationary wasps clinging to the windows are much easier to deal with than one angry, buzzing wasp which won't land and instead keeps circling your head.

Seeing these beautiful flying needles emerge from hibernation makes me think of two things:

1.) It's about time for me to read Iain Banks' The Wasp Factory again.
2.) This blog has been in a state of hibernation for far too long. If the wasps are emerging after a long winter, perhaps my posts can follow suit.

So that's the plan. Expect more activity here over the next few weeks than in weeks past, as there's a number of things I'm looking forward to blogging about. (Starting with my upcoming trip to Penguicon; I'll have a post about that later today.)

Hope the world's been treating you well since last we spoke. What's going on in your neck of the woods?

Comments

[Gail]

Hey, welcome back! :)

[Audrey Harper]

..and there was much rejoicing.
* yea' *
(Monty Python)

I have missed you so.. is it the teaching that has kept you occupied? How has that been going?

[Ângelo Fernandes]

hey stranger, how is the wasp killing?
and the teaching? have you been surprised with a reach moment?

I've [re]started teaching too, but this time with old people who are interested to learn how to handle with a computer and internet.
the rest, same old, same old.
Still writing my ideas down on the paper in my spare time.

Keep posting, we'll keep reading them too.

hugs
ângelo

[timelady]

hey,long time, no see:) welcome back. will delurk a bit to respond:)

e are winding down into autumn here in oz. i am pottering with some f(l)oss (free open source software, such as linux) work, and getting ready to move the horde of offspring in with my dad. third of an acre, chooks, fruit trees, and time with my dad, who is mid 70s. time passes mate, time passes. husband is doing proscribed burns, a tail end of vicious bushfire season.

btw, is that a european wasp in your picture? damn things are becoming major est here in oz, crowding in out native bees....

looking forward to more posts soon!

[John Scalzi]

I've been pining for the fjords.

[Elizabeth]

And he makes his triumphant return...killing wasps. That doesn't sound pleasant.
I look forward to the recurrence of blogs on this page! You must elaborate on what has kept you busy for so long.
And as to your question, what's going on in my neck of the woods is a very acute case of senioritis. It helps to have a blog to distract me from my annoying amount of homework, though :D

[Nick Sagan]

Good to see you, everyone!

Yes, teaching's been keeping me busy, and I've been enjoying it. I'll have to blog about that soon.

I'm not sure what species of wasp I'm dealing with here. (African or European?) I spoke to an exterminator, and he told me they're solitary wasps as opposed to hive wasps, but that's all I know so far.

Senior year homework sounds like it could be annoying, especially after college applications have already gone out. Speaking of homework, I'm now in the strange position of giving it instead of getting it. Maybe I'll get used to that in time.

[J Alan Erwine]

Man I hate wasps...of course being allergic to them would be a good reason for the hatred.

Good to have you back!

[Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows]

Ew.

[Zak]

Hah! Wasps in your house as well huh? Its funny you mention Wasp getting inside through windows. I just killed a Wasp, better yet my father ( I was to much of a wimp to do so ) and it stung him. Interesting enough, the next night (Being today) i walked into my room and there's another huge wasp buzzing around my lite. Than there was a bee in my car, I just keep getting attacked from all these insects! Blargh!

[Elisabeth]

How can it help to suck them up with a vacuum, because they don't die? Or do they?

[Luke Hytinen]

STRANGE ASS STORY!

Hey guys, my name is Luke,
My Partner Kyle and I are in Northern Michigan's Upper Peninsula.In the little city of Houghton. "We have bugs", A lot of them! Normally in the spring and summer mind you.
Tonight, when the temp outside is -15 and we have a blizzard going on Kyle and I decide to retreat to bed and watch a movie. Have snacks, a few drinks. Kyle reaches for a Box of "Cheez-It" crackers in which we have just bought, opens the pack, reaches his hand inside and gets bit by a damn WASP! Did it come from the box or from our well protected house??
Can these damn bugs survive -30degrees? Any ways, he's fine, I am too and the wasp is in a zip lock bag awaiting inspection from Nabisco. We will see what comes about. < your Yooper Friends, Luke and Kyle

[suraj]

it's good but if you give the location of this insect then it is better

[jill]

I love that you vacuum up the wasps!! My mother has been doing this for years, and even wrote a short, humorous essay about it.

[marina]

Your picture lead me to your blog. I am having the same problem with wasp's in our house. They made a nest and are swarming through our house to the windows. I have killed over 60. We have sprayed and the next step will be to bomb them!
Can't wait until they leave one way or another.

MAR

[felicia]

what is the name of the wasp in the picture someone plz tell me asap.

[Myrtle Vergotine]

Hi to everyone

I was stung by a wasp with yellow stripes. I am a bit anxious because my husband says that the wasp laid an egg when he bit me. How can I get it out? The type of wasp built muddernests underneath our roof. Do I have to go to the doctor? It is damn itchy. Hope somebody can help me.

[Dissertation]

You tell right about the warm weather,the wasps is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant,wasps critically important in natural control of their numbers, or natural biocontrol,so the picture is really good to see,and the details too.

[Momof 31062]

Thanks fo the great pics! With the warm weather they are out like crazy where I live (Kentucky). Mt almost 6 year old asked me how did they see & where their eyes were at?. She got the biggest kick out of the pics, especially the one that was really hairy!

[Wasp Nest Removal]

What wasp is that in the picture in this post?