Red Wasps

 

As I've said many times in the past, we have a large variety of critters here at the old Boggy Thicket.  One that I could certainly do without is the big red wasps that nest in the eaves of our house.  They build their nests behind the soffit where they can't be seen and are almost impossible to eradicate.

They are also highly territorial and extremely aggressive as I was rudely reminded yesterday.

I was trimming bushes near the front door when I was attacked.  First, one landed on the top of my head, but I swatted her away.  Then she or one of her cohorts landed on my right hand and stung me on my middle finger.  

That hurts! 

I've tried to come up with words to describe the experience but I just can't.  Try to remember being stung by a bee or a yellow jacket, then multiply the feeling by twenty or so.  It definitely gets your attention.

I came in and put baking soda on the wound and took a couple of Benadryl, but my right hand swelled up to the point it looked like I was wearing a baseball glove.  I could not make a fist.

I emptied a can of wasp and hornet spray into the cracks the buggers were coming out of, but I can't honestly say whether I killed any of them at all. 

Now. twenty-something hours later, my hand is still slightly swollen but almost back to normal.

Yeah - on my list of critters I could do without, those damn red wasps would be right up there at the top of my list.