Waspy

My mom brought me two half wine barrels this spring, and I didn’t have enough dirt to fill them, and I didn’t even know where to put them, so I decided to hold off. Instead, I flipped them upside-down and I’ve been using them as tables for my tomato plants. About two weeks ago, I discovered there were wasps living under one of them. They didn't seem to be bothering anyone, so I just left them there figuring that I'd deal with them in the fall. Then one day, I was mowing the lawn (finally) and noticed some bees going in and out of this crack just under the siding. Great. As much as I hate killing bees (especially), I had to do something before things got worse.

As soon as I could, I went in search of a bee/wasp spray, but I couldn’t find anything (in the one place I looked). So, that night, I thought, ok, wasps. I can't do anything about the bees, so I'm gonna do something about you. I went out around 10ish and tipped the barrel on it’s side. My aim was really to tip it all the way over, but once I heard buzzing, I became way too nervous to do any more.

In bed, I kept thinking and dreaming, they’ve funnily decided to build their home in a barrel that holds water, so I have to tip it all the way so the next time it rains, it fills up. Right. Well, that morning I got up early, Idle Husband was still in bed, and it was raining a bit. Sprinkling. And I look out and the barrel’s there, on it’s side. I got excited with this overwhelming desire to tip it all the way over. It just seemed like the perfect solution, and it was pretty early. Surely they're still resting.

I put on a coat and went out. Immediately, I can hear them buzzing. Ok, ok, just tip it then run away quickly. Tip. Run. Grab, tip, run. Repeating my mantra, I did it. I managed to catch a small glimpse of the mini-fortress they’d built, when they attacked me. It was a good thing I left the door to the house a wee bit open, because it was all I needed to run in and slam it on them. Only two managed to come in with me. One followed me as I ran downstairs, arms waving, squealing, waking Idle Husband up in all my commotion. We squished him then found his partner buzzing in the window upstairs.

I have since found wasp/bee spray (in the second store I looked), and I let Idle Husband deal with the rest of it. I was way too traumatized to deal with them any longer.

The other day, I’m outside, happily watering my tomatoes and filling up my watering cans, when I notice a wasp. He lands and crawls into this half-empty bag of dirt I have on the deck. Then one comes out as another flies in. I have never been so irritated. Are those little bastards making a nest in that bag of dirt?! I took my hose and sprayed water all over the bag, filling the loose plastic up with water. Watching as a few wasps tried desperately to paddle to safety. Determined, I filled the barrel (that still has their house in it) with about 2 inches of water, flipped the other barrel over (there’s no nest there — yet) and filled that one, too. They are not building another nest anywhere near my backdoor again, so help me!

I’m officially on wasp detail now until winter.