Yellowjackets by Chipka
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Description
It’s no secret that I have always enjoyed rather friendly relations with yellowjackets. It seems that I am an ideal perch—for many insects, actually—for anyone wishing to take break from hours of exuberant flying, nectar-raiding, pollinating, or hunting. Of course, I find that yellowjackets always go for the Chip-shaped perch whenever there is iced tea nearby, and on occasion, a bottle of Dr. Pepper. It comes, as no surprise, then, that I had a close encounter with an entire yellowjacket hive, yesterday. Actually, it was the hive that had a close encounter with me.
As is my employment-related custom, I was in the truck-yard. Cleaning up. Pretending not to be bored silly. There were loads and loads of boxes to be cleared out. Many of them were deformed and mushy, not yet rendered into gloppy pulp, but close. Others were sun-dried and wasp ravaged; they were ragged, nearly abstract things. One—filled with broken glass and debris of some ill-defined sort—was also the base upon which a young colony of yellowjackets had established itself. I discovered the hive as I moved the box. As I moved the box, my hand skidded over the nest, dislodging it, slightly. I realized this only as I felt someone squirming. I suspected—immediately—that I was knuckle-deep in someone’s home, and so I immediately withdrew my hand, flipped the flap of the box, and discovered yellowjackets, it wasn’t until doing so that I realized that I was, quite possibly, stung. I couldn’t quite tell; all I felt was the after effects of something akin to an over-exuberant mosquito, and that’s when I realized both to my elation and chagrin, that yellowjackets aren’t prone to actually stinging me. I was elated, quite simply because I’d never received an official yellowjacket sting: the kind of sting that makes many people cringe in absolute, abject, horror at the mere thought of a yellowjacket encounter. I was somewhat annoyed (and crushed) because the yellowjackets in question seemed to act as if I was either of little consequence or that I'm an exceptionally ugly yellowjacket.
I’m not a normal person. Most people, upon discovering that they’ve gone knuckle-deep into a yellowjacket nest, probably flee the scene, swatting at a buzzing cloud of promised anaphylactic shock while nursing the half-dozen or so stings they’ve already received. I, on the other hand, reached into my jacket pocket and retrieved my camera. There was no buzzing, angry cloud of insect anger, just one or two hive guardians, buzzing around, looking for the threat that—according to them—had simply gone elsewhere. They did investigate me, but deemed me too unimportant to sting. The sting that I did receive—that exuberant mosquito bite—didn’t quite qualify as…well…it wasn’t a sting so much as a nudge. Yellowjacket stings, I am told, hurt; what I’d received was the wasp equivalent of a slap on the wrist! And so, me being me, I got as close as the disturbed ladies would allow, and snapped a few pictures.
As I was cleaning up the truck-yard, I couldn’t leave the wasp residence in place. Its parent box was destined for the garbage dump, and there was no way I was about to allow myself to put the wasp-box into the truck with the other boxes and risk other people being stung by angry (and confused) yellowjackets; I wasn’t about to allow a whole family of yellowjackets to die beneath loads and loads of garbage, either, and so I simply cut the section of the box containing the nest, and transplanted it to a tree near the railroad embankment, commonly used by various truck-yard dogs (Rover and whoever his assistants might be) for purposes of urinary necessity. And as I did so, I was still not stung! What’s up with that!? Am I on some kind of yellowjacket NO STING list…do I warrant that little attention?
Yellowjackets! They really know how to crush a human ego!
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope that you’ve all been enjoying a marvelous, sting-free week.
Comments (28)
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. God Bless.
Orinoor
Maybe you just smelled right to them, like part of the yard? I don't know, but we have yellow jackets in our yard, not nearly as friendly and their stings really do hurt, for quite a long time. Consider yourself part of the yellow jacket clan and be happy! Great photo, I try not to get that close....
Richardphotos
maybe they realized you were looking out for them.it is not easy killing them any way and probably a painful sting would have ensued
MadameX
Oh dear! Some people would probably go into anaphylactic shock just looking at this photo! Glad you were otherwise unharmed. It's a great shot! I've never seen a yellowjacket up close before. They are rather pretty...in a yellowjacket way. OTOH..I don't believe I want to see one THAT close!
skiwillgee
Trust me, you are one lucky dude to be on the "no sting list" Yes, I cringed when I saw the thumbnail. I found a nest last week... with my lawn mower. They were not happy and I never ran so fast, but not fast enough. OUCH!
mgtcs
Maybe you could write a story about the reluctance yellow jackets have ins tinging you... Maybe an extraterrestrial origin? The protection of some deity? An unconscious ability to slightly shift into a parallel dimension so that the stings don't get you? Love the snapshot. It is perfect, and it does show that they are at ease with you in spite of your physical proximity to them.
wotan
Beautiful shot Chipka, I like the blur at down... this image remembers me that I need to hear Yellowjackets again, cool jazz!
auntietk
I think they believe you're one of them. A large one, it's true, but one who has discovered how to consistently access Arizona Iced Tea and Dr. Pepper and other desirable liquids. Perhaps they only sting people who flail their arms around in a frantic manner, swatting at them and screaming. You could try that ...
netot
I think our little brothers realized that you were not a danger to them. The nest was not damaged and you remain calm. Animals can recognize an enemy or an intruder into its territory, and you were not either. They don't ignored you, they evaluated to you and gave you their trust. So rejoice, you have the approval of the Yellow Jackets. Not everyone can say they have it.
Lashia
Beautiful summer macro! Great shot- thanks for sharing! :)
Selina Photography™
CoreyBlack
It must be nice to be on the No Sting List.I am not so lucky. Only YOU could put your hand INSIDE a wasp nest and come away with a small blip of a sting! If I did something like that, I would go into anaphylactic shock and die. If I did something like that you'd be reading my funeral notice. And I'm not even allergic to bee stings. This sheer stress of it all would do me in. In fact, just LOOKING at this picture is giving me hives. (Oooh, that's a bad pun) The reason this picture is making me cross my legs is that I have personal experience with these little BASTARDS. (I know you love them, but that doesn't mean I have to.)And now on to the point of my story... Some years back, I had a summer job as a groundsman (it's probably 'groundsperson' now, but this was 30 years ago) at an apartment complex. I was part of a crew of three and we would plant flowers, mulch, etc. The main thing we did though, was cut the grass with elderly, cantankerous push mowers that belched and farted noxious gasoline smoke all day. One broiling afternoon, near the end of my shift, I was mowing around a Blue Spruce at the far edge of the property and somehow managed to disrupt a nest of yellow jackets. Before I knew what was happening one of the little buggers had managed to FLY UP MY NOSE and sing me high up in my right nostril. To be stung by a wasp well up in your sinus cavity at the end of a long day broiling in the sun pushing a cantankerous old lawnmower and inhaling noxious gas fumes, is to know a brand of agony that I don't recommend even to people who are into that sort of thing. Needless to say, after staggering all the way back to the management office and having the manager's wife remove the vile yellow jacket remains from high up in my right nostril with a pair of tweezers,I was pretty much done for the rest of the day. The doctor in the emergency room (after laughing)continued to joke that, "it could have been worse. You could have gotten yellow jackets up BOTH nostrils." Ha ha. What a card. Needless to say, I had to breathe through my mouth for several days. Soooooo, all these years later, I still really HATE yellow jackets and have endeavored with great success to stay as far away from them as possible. And now here they are in all their horrid glory. Very nicely captured, however, as only you could have done. A truly wonderful photograph. And now I'm going to stop looking at them and take my left hand away from my nose. Toodles.
Sepiasiren
got stung by one of the little buggers once--ouch--but still this is very detailed and lovely paying rightful homage to the stinkers--lol
durleybeachbum
I think you should remain flattered! My garden is full of tired end-of-season wasps at present, many at ground level, and poor old Buster trod on one and got his 'wrist' stung the other day. He walked around for an hour or two with his paw held in the high-5 position. I'm told that are attracted to carbon dioxide, I must do some research. I suppose if one is frightened one breathes more heavily and faster. I got stung once by someone lurking in my pocket..a shock for both of us. Poor Corey!!
blinkings
My first thought was that Chip will love this. And then I noticed who the photography was! DOH. I must admit that they are right up there with Mosquitoes for me!
bullsnook
great shot, but they can be some nasty little bas... well I'm sure like many people, you know, and I don't need to say
helanker
OH WOW! What a beautiful shot of these Yellow Jackets :-) I dont happen to be fond of these creatures, but I am not panicking if I get close to one. But if they come close to my face, I really hate it and try to avoid it. I have been stung of bees, of wasps and of a bumblebee, even. But the bumblebee was excused, as I simply grabbed it, trying to clean the garden for weed without gloves. I really understand Corey and I would feel the same, if I had experienced what he has. YIKES! sounds like pure horror. I am glad you dont get stung easy, Chip.
fallen21
Excellent capture.
RodS
Excellent capture, Chip! You're a braver man than I! :-D
sandra46
WONDERFUL CAPTURE! THEY LOOK VERY BUSY
flavia49
great story and shot
jeanebean
You are one lucky person, Chip to be sting proof. These guys are really dangerous in Florida. They have huge nests in the ground. If we get through one season without at least one stinging death it's a good year. In large numbers, they are too dangerous to be taken for granted. Beautiful shot however.
jac204
Great picture and amazing story of being in a "no sting zone".
MrsRatbag
Lucky you, Chip; I stay away...never been stung yet, and don't want to start! But a fantastic shot from inside "the velvet rope"!
vis151
THose things sting me!
evielouise
It's been said a woman with certain perfume on will perhaps get stung not sure of that but happy you didn't get any that could put you in danger lol there would be no time for a photo with me cause I would be one that u said would flee lol
beachzz
I don't swat and jump around when I see these guys or their nests, but I do give them a wide berth--just to be safe, you know!! I don't think I'd put my hand in their nest--actually I KNOW I wouldn't!!
dashboard_jehovah
No disrespect intended...BUT...I would be heading for the hills, in the opposite direction. Bee's and me's don't get along!
danapommet
Super macro, colors and details Chip. Also an interesting read. Can you sell a small section of the "no sting list". Dana