Mowing Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later..... and today it was my time

[mx842]

If you mess around in the woods at all sooner or later you will have a run in with these nasty little bastages, especially this time of the year. A couple days ago it was a little cooler out so I thought I might get in a little civil war relic hunting done. I had been hunting an area that is usually flooded in the winter months so I figured it would be free of yellow jackets since the ground there is always kind of wet. It was getting late and I was thinking about heading for home and I made my regular deal with myself; find one more bullet and call it a night.

I was hunting along and got a reading. It was a nice drop 3 ringer and as I covered the hole I made one sweep over the hole to make sure I didn't leave any tools laying around or there wasn't something else left in the hole. Beeeeep! another reading right beside where I had just dug. Another bullet came into view and I bagged it and was trying to decide weather to leave and come back later or to check it out more while I was there. After all why leave something behind and take the chance of someone else coming along and digging a nice button or buckle that I had left for them?

I decided to check out the spot a little better and started a wide circle of 20' or so around where I had found the first two bullets and before long I had dug 6 more bullets and an old coin. I got another reading and remember thinking my wife is going to be really mad at me for missing supper because this might turn into a long night. N O T !!!!! As I got down on my knees to dig my latest prize I felt a sting on my right hip. It was where my relic bag was hanging and I about tore it from my belt as I tried to see what was biting me. My first thought was that it was some kind of spider that had fell off a branch and worked his way into my pants. Then I thought snake. There are a lot of copperheads around here and there were several old dead logs laying in the brush which is a prime place for one to be hiding. I got out my light and looked all around but didn't see anything but I gave the general area a good stomping just so I could have his dead body to carry along to the ER if I made it there. I figured if I had a dead snake in my bag and died before I made it out of the woods so my wife could haul me to the hospital at least who ever found me would know what had happened to me.LOL

Once I was sure there was no snake around I went ahead and dug that last bullet and as I stood up I got another sting a couple inches from the last spot........Man....., I jumped into action and the only thing I could think of was to stop what ever it was that was chewing on my leg. I banged the area with my digging tool which probably wasn't the best option because I now have a big bruise to go along with the stings. Once I was sure that what ever it was that was doing the biting was dead I gathered my junk and headed for home.

When I went into the garage I wanted to look at my finds to see if there was anything special about them but my leg was hurting like crazy so I decided to take my pants off to check to see what was going on. As I was shaking the pants legs off I saw something fly out, I couldn't tell what but it didn't take long to find out that what ever it was, was mad as h@ll and that danged yellow jacket flew out and went straight up in the air bouncing off the ceiling and came straight back down to my now exposed left shin and latched on an started to chewing and stinging like it was his last meal.

It turns out that it was his last meal and I am now sure glad I didn't still have my digging tool in my hand because that probably would not have ended up well but I did put a judo chop on his sorry azz that would have made Bruce Lee proud. Thank goodness I didn't break any bones but I did see that judo chop had hit its mark and as I looked at his lifeless body laying all curled up on the concrete floor I just couldn't help doing a short dance on him just to make sure he wasn't going to make some kind of miracle comeback like Rocky did back in one or two of his old Rocky movies. Once I was sure he was dead I took my butane torch and cremated what was left.

That was several days ago and those bites still hurt.

 

[Waskom John]

In my 30 years of living in East Texas,I have come across 2 underground wasp/hornets or bee hives. Never stuck around long enough to find out what they were.
My last run in just came last week. Lucky enough they were more interested in either the heat of the engine or the noise but it gave me enough time to jump and run.
If you opt to pour gas or anything else on the hole ,remember that they have more than one entrench or exit. Also some states have laws about how to handle bees. You can't just spray or destroy the hive. I am sorry but this is my little 2 acres and I do try to get along with nature but I will do what I have to ,to protect myself or family.
Thank you for reading my post.

 

[Waskom John]

MX842,
way to go. Score 1 for us humans. Only thing worst than a hornet in your pants is a squirrel up them at a revival meeting. Thanks to Ray Stevens.

 

[mx842]

MX842,
way to go. Score 1 for us humans. Only thing worst than a hornet in your pants is a squirrel up them at a revival meeting. Thanks to Ray Stevens.

LOL Yeah that ol boy was some kind of a story teller....or singer, whatever. Makes me want to break out some of my old music I have on tape around here someplace.

 

[rd_macgregor]

When I find a ground nest in an inconvenient/unsafe place, I usually come back at night and load it with several mothballs, then put something (rock, plywood, etc.) over the hole. A good dose of gasoline and a match would likely be more entertaining, though.

 

[Cord]

I got into this a few years ago. I was clearing an area and dug the nest up. Backed right over it when they attacked me. I tried to bail off the equipment, but I had my seat belt on! Got to the edge of the operators station before it recoiled and flung me back into the seat. Couldn't punch the button fast enough!

Found a second one this year, but this time I was watching for it. Let them calm down for a little bit and then drove over the nest crushing it. I hate yellow jackets, but I'm told that bald faced hornets are supposed to be even worse. Found a huge nest in the silo a few years ago. Forget it! I called an exterimator for that one.

I caught a hornet or wasp in my collar a few years ago when I was riding my motorcycle. He nailed me three times before I could reach inside my coat with my bare hand and pull him out... while still riding in a group!

 

[DarkBlack]

ArmyPair, That doesn't look like a bald face nest to me at all.

 

[AchingBack]

ArmyPair, That doesn't look like a bald face nest to me at all.

I totally agree. It was hard to see, but what it looks like is a cliff swallow nest. Bald face hornet's nest is much lighter in color, and more uniform in shape. Bald face hornets eat a lot of harmful insects. If they aren't causing a problem, leave the nest alone until they leave in the fall. It won't be used again.

 

[varmint]

IF ArmyPair's nest had insects flying in and out, you could figure it for a hornet's hideaway, and I would consider it a fair target for a 12 gauge shotgun, on full choke. Fired from the open door of your tractor's cab, of course. Cliff swallows are another matter. They probably eat those hornets and wasps?

 

[DarkBlack]

I've been up and personal with bald face hornet nests, and I can say they don't look like that.
What I've learned, is when you realize you're close enough to actually see the funnel entrance guard(s) cock his head to get a better look at you... you need to run, Forest.. run.