An interesting encounter with a red wasp.

[Clipper]

I may have mentioned the number of red wasps that we seem to have around this year. They are drawn to treated wood for some odd reason. The gate that I built that accesses the back yard in made from treated 2x4's and fence pickets. They buzz around that gate whenever the sun is out, and I often have to chase them away with my hat in order to open the gate for the dog.

This morning I was standing at the gate waiting for the dog to do her business. I had on sunglasses and a ball cap with an orange brim, which I think may have attracted the wasp. Well, one of the red wasps landed neatly on the nose piece of my sunglasses, crawled off of the frame of my sunglasses onto my forehead, walked around a bit, and flew off. I am not afraid of wasps, but I was really glad that it decided to crawl up my forehead and not behind the glasses or on my eyelid. My heart was going 900 mph while I nervously avoided moving or swatting at it. I closed my eyes and waited for only a matter of 4 or 5 seconds maximum and it finally flew off. I was waiting for the sting. Whew. Major sigh of relief when it flew off.

Lesson learned? I won't be wearing the orange brimmed hat and I won't be lounging with my elbows resting on the gate anymore. I will let the dog in and get the hell away from the gate until she comes back, haha. Just a footnote. When a wasp lands on the nosepiece of your glasses and you are staring at it cross-eyed, it looks as big as B-52.

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I found out that if you make a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water and spray the fence( wood ) that will deter the red wasps. They like wood since it is make of cellulose and like that to make their nests. Try the spray.

Here is more

Repel wasps from wood naturally by following a few simple steps.
Combine liquid hand soap and water in a spray bottle. ...
Saturate the wasp nest with WD-40. ...
Stash sheets of fabric softener around the wood structure in flower pots or glass jars. ...
Insert whole cloves into a few oranges and place around the wood surface.

[Clipper]

Thanks for the tips PB. I will be spraying down the wood with vinegar and water first thing tomorrow morning. I probably will have to do it periodically because the rain must eventually wash it away.

Kathy and I have talked about my encounter several times today. She says she can't believe that I stood there and let the wasp crawl around on my forehead without freaking out. I told her that I WAS freaking out. I have had wasps land on my arms while I have been working outside in the past and I simply stand still, and eventually they get done exploring and fly away without stinging unless you disturb them. YES! When they land on your FACE it is an entirely different story. I just froze and the few seconds that it was on me seemed like a half an hour. Yep, I WAS afraid that it would sting me. Try to imagine the feeling of a creepy insect's prickly little feet crawling around on your forehead and you cannot just swat it or brush it off. I can only say that I strongly hope it was a once in a lifetime experience.

I have heard in the past that bees and wasps are sometimes drawn to bright colors. I don't know if that is true or not, but I will NOT be wearing the orange brimmed hat around the yard again. LOL

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Murder hornet in Pennsylvania? If you see one do this

Posted May 07, 5:15 AM



A dead Asian giant hornet sent from Japan is held on a pin by Sven Spichiger, an entomologist with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Monday, May 4, 2020, in Olympia, Wash. The insect, which has been found in Washington state, is the world's largest hornet, and has been dubbed the "Murder Hornet" in reference to its appetite for honey bees, and a sting that can be fatal to some people. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP


Murder hornets, the Asian giant hornets that captured the attention of the media and online worlds this week by showing up in North America for the first time, have not been found anywhere near Pennsylvania.



But if you see one, or think you see one, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture wants to know.



“For some time, the (department) has been monitoring traps nationwide for the presence of invasive insects, including the Asian giant hornet, and has alerted beekeepers across the state about this species,” said Shannon Powers, press secretary for the department.


“Asian giant hornets can be distinguished not only by their extraordinary size, but by their heads, which are yellow. Other insects that have been mistaken for the Asian giant hornet generally have rust or brown coloring on their heads.



“If you believe you have sighted the insect, please use extreme caution. They are only known to be aggressive when their nests are threatened.



“Photograph the insect, using great caution, and submit the photo to [e-mail] or call the invasive species reporting line and leave a message at 1-866-253-7189.”



But the chances of spotting an Asian giant hornet in Pennsylvania are very remote.



Giant Asian ‘murder’ hornets might be coming, and that’s probably as bad as it sounds

The non-native insects were only found last year in a few locations in Washington state and British Columbia, Canada.



Speculating that the native of Asia arrived in the U.S. stowed away in international agricultural cargo or through intentional and illegal release, researchers and agriculture departments on the West Coast are concentrating on finding and destroying any additional Asian giant hornets that have found their way across the Pacific.

While the sting of the insect is big and painful, delivers a potent neurotoxin and in multiples can kill humans, the bigger threat is the potential devastation to honeybees. The hornet is a significant predator of honeybees, which already are suffering from pesticides, colony collapse disorder and other attacks in the U.S.



According to Washington State University entomologists, when attacking beehives, a single hornet can kill dozens of honeybees in minutes. A group of 30 hornets can destroy an entire hive of 30,000 bees in less than four hours.

www.pennlive.com/life/2020/05/murder-hornet-in-pennsylvania-if-you-see-one-do-this.html


Ditch the orange rimmed hat

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Here is another photo




Vespa mandarinia, or Asian giant hornets, as also known as "yak-killer hornets," "murder hornets," and "hornets from hell."


These Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) are the size of your thumb; they're orange-headed and orange-striped; and they're extremely pointy at the back end. The hornets, which were detected in Washington state, prey on bees and are known for ripping the heads off honeybees by the thousands, The New York Times reported on May 2. Enormous curved stingers and powerful venom make the hornets uniquely dangerous to humans, and their stings are responsible for as many as 50 deaths in Japan each year, mostly due to allergic reactions to the venom, according to the Times.


www.livescience.com/murder-hornets-in-washington-state.html

[Clipper]

No need for vinegar spray today. It has been a steady drizzle and only in the 50's all day.