To destroy yellow jackets. All of them. And I'm going to start with the one that just stung me!
Otter and I were trimming some limblets off of one of the trees in the front. I had been looking for nests, but didn't see any. However, when we were almost through - I heard a buzz and felt something sharp & hot on my head - just above my left temple but back a little bit. And at almost the same second, I saw it fly past me. I am not allergic. But that doesn't make it feel any less painful. I think it was a glancing blow, they seldom shed the stinger and can keep stinging. I don't think that there was a nest in the tree, but they don't need a reason. They are very aggressive.
We came in and Bill looked, but can't see any sign of a stinger. Just a red, slightly inflamed place that was hard to see because of my hair. I sent Otter to put the tree trimming tool up, it's stored under the lean-to in the back yard. She came right back in, still holding the tool, to report that there was an active nest under the lean to and that they looked angry - also known as flying around. Which means that I was actually really close to a nest, but they didn't bother me. At least not then! Bill was going to mow, but he's going to put that off until tomorrow. Tonight, he's killing yellow jackets. If we still have enough spray left, that is.
The side of my head is a little wet now, from the ice I'm using. The pain is better, but it is still there. It's not as widespread, or as hot.
Oh, by the way - there were actually two nests on the front of the house that Bill got the other night. The one I found by the window, and there was another one under the overhang of the porch cover but it was on the opposite side of a support pole so I didn't see it at first.
Hate those things.
We don't know for sure if Otter is allergic to bees. Mom was, but I'm not. However, Otter has a lot of allergies and some of them are ones that Mom had but I don't. She's been instructed to call 911 if we're not with her and she gets stung. She is to tell them that it's a bee sting, but that she might possibly be allergic and has asthma. I'd rather have an unnecessary call to 911 than her not make the call and then get into trouble. I think that they would understand, but even if they didn't it's a risk worth taking.
3 comments:
make a paste of baking soda and water or meat tenderizer and water and put that on the sting. It will take away most of the pain.
Hopefully otter is not allergic to bees.
Good luckm bill on killing all of them. We have a nest outside close to our deck. I need to get some spray and kill them. Froggy
Ice did the trick, mostly. I washed my hair after it quit hurting quite so badly - the hair washing was an adventure, but nothing compared to combing my hair out later! It feels much better now. Still tender! Just better. I didn't think about baking soda, I will remember that if I need it again. But I don't think I have any meat tenderizer. Bill always tenderizes any meat that needs it with a spiky mallet!
Also - Bill did kill the nest. And then he mowed, but he said that they were all dead. However, I saw a few red/brown hornets in the area where I was stung at and that could have been what got me.
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