Predatory Flying Insects.

Saturday saw annoying encounters with both mosquitoes and wasps. Sarah and I were doing some yardwork at the House of Rock on Saturday to beautify the yard a bit. I bought a bunch of rose bushes and some mulch and we worked for a few hours (with great results!).

The mosquitoes… well those always hit me hard; but the wasp encounter was a special treat. There I was, digging a hole for a beautiful pink rose bush and I felt a quick stab in my back. I’d been working around roses all day so my first impression wasn’t ‘yellow jacket’ it was ‘thorn.’ I casually reached back to try and find the thorn that was lodged in my shirt but found none, so I continued my work. Moments later I felt another quick stab.

“Darn it!” I thought, and tried again to find the pesky culprit without success. Two stings later my hand found the wasp in my shirt.

Bee and wasp stings are really interesting. I think I’ve only been stung about 5 times in my life. Each one has been a dramatically different experience. The last time I got stung, I got stung on my toe as I walked through the yard with open shoes. That sting felt like I’d had my toes amputated with a rusty barbed wire chainsaw laced in death.

But this time the immediate pain was minimal – nothing more than a lightly lingering burning feeling. Each of the four stings were very mild. Unfortunately, the sting locations have since blossomed into itching welts of extreme discomfort. Oh well, I will continue liberal use of itch cream.

Every spring I get excited for summer. And every summer I forget the bugs.