No, not this guy. Becky found him in the yard and called me over from the barn for a pic. We figure some of you knowledgeable folks will know what kind he is.
No the danger came from an old steel tube gate, tossed up side down in a spot where a heifer was climbing out of the fence.. It had been sitting there for years. Then the other day, Alan opened the regular gate and a cloud of wasps poured out of the old one.
Turns out the entire gate was so full of wasp nest material that it was sticking out the top in places. Although she has had allergy shots for bee sting allergy, we are real careful with Liz. Too many past trips to the hospital. Her horse tossed her in a ground bee nest once, which was not fun for anyone involved.
So the gate has been filled with hot water, there are wasp sprays on hand now, and we will be getting some Great Stuff to fill any other gates that have openings...something we usually do every year, but this cooler year caught us looking.
I get surprised by angry wasps every once in a while too. The slightest bit of cover can have a nest it seems.
ReplyDeleteDown here they love the underside of palm fronds.
They like any type of hole here also. And they love the eves of the house. I'm not so fond of them.
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
I've had those desentizing shots fro bee allergies. They work! Once stepped in a yellow jacket nest after the shots and got no more than a few (okay, maybe a dozen) raised welts. Sorta like mosquito bites without the itch.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't mean I like getting stung, though! Still hate the little buggers!
A couple days ago my sis-in-law's son had to use her Epi-pen on her. Dang. She's had years of shots but walked over a yellow jacket nest. One sting and she was in serious trouble.
ReplyDeleteThe allergist said she was one of the most problematic cases he's had. Lucky her.
FC, they can sure surprise you! We walked past that gate dozens of time a day and never knew until Alan banged the other gate against it when opening to let the cows through. Allergies run in my family so we are very careful about them.
ReplyDeleteLinda, same here and the eaves are about 42 feet up! A water hose will dissolve the nests very nicely and that is the only way I can get at them.
Joated, the doctor allowed her just so much swelling before she has to head to the emergency room. She really should carry an epipen, but she doesn't.
Cathy, that is just scary! Wasps are scary! I have several close family members who have allergies so I try to avoid them myself. Our entire front lawn is riddled with ground bee nests so I just don't go out there in the summer and neither do the girls.
If you've got bunches of ground nests and don't like to mess with chemicals . . I guess you won't want to do this.
ReplyDeleteBut my brother learned from an exterminator to put fairly fresh Sevin in a plastic catsup squeeze-type bottle and go out at night with a flashlight and squeeze a few puffs of that stuff right in the hole.
They track it back into the nest and voila! no more yellow-jackets.
BTW. That butterfly is driving me nuts.
If you don't mind I'm going to submit it to BugGuide and see what they say.
Just submitted your pix and did a little more searching around. I'm a little excited.
ReplyDeleteLook at this:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/442360
You may have some weird 'intergrade' or some-such entity.
How cool is that ?
Apparently it happens. I didn't know that.
May I add your entire name to the credit ?
I just put "Marianne".
I'll let you know the minute I hear back.
Duh-uh.
ReplyDeleteGeeze, Cathy - wake up.
Here's the ID request that I submitted:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/555679/bgimage
cathy, thank you! I am a firm believer in better living through chemicals and we have used Sevin before. However, the ketchup bottle idea is inspired! I am going to get some fresh Sevin and have the non-allergic folks get after them!
ReplyDeleteAnd feel free to do anything at all with the butterfly photo. We are very curious!
Copy and past this too! It's a New Yorker, also.
ReplyDeletehttp://bugguide.net/node/view/442553