Topic: Attacked by wasps

[TrailRat]

Had a strange day today. Moving some stock around the yard today to a new layout. Went to pick up a pack of concrete set lintels that have been sitting around since Henry was on the throne :) . All of a sudden my forklift is engulfed in this huge cloud of very big and very angry wasps. Apparently my blades on the forklift had punched a hole right through the nest. Luckily the forklift I use in the yard is an all weather encased model, window on one side and a door on the other. So there I am as this swarm of wasps attacked the truck, calm as anything. Now this is strange as I'm morbidly afraid of wasps and also very allergic to being stung by one. Called up on the yard radio and told the  supervisor. He said to stay put and they bugger off. So I wait. Then I got a bit worried when the wasps started to rebuild the bloody nest on the hydraulic pipes. Radioed up again and told supervisor he'll have to call out pest control because they could get dangerous around customers and staff. So he calls them. I was waiting around for two hours sitting that bloody forklift for pest control. Its quite scary how fast they can rebuild nests but very fascinating to watch them at work. Also quite interesting watching them trying to sting a steel plated and armoured glass forklift  ;D  . The pest control people just sprayed the forklift with this mist spray and the wasps dive bombed into death almost instantly.

TrailRat

[flowerbaby_uk]

hiya Trailrat you were very lucky to come out of that safely i would have watered the seat of the forklift ;D ;D seriously though wasps in a swarm like that can and have been known to sting peeps to death and im glad you got out safely  next time watch what you are sticking the forklift into  ::) ::)

Ann-Marie :-*

[Plocket]

Sounds like a lucky escape TrailRat - good thing your forklift is the one without the grid. Perhaps they liked the flashing light on top!!!

[Mrs Ava]

Cor, I would have been terrified!  You were very brave!  Their nests are amazing pieces of work, even tho we don't want them!

[feet of clay]

Very scary story.  I can't see why wasps were put on the planet.  You were incredibly lucky.

[TrailRat]

Perhaps they liked the flashing light on top!!!

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I like it and I will try to watch my step next time flower. Thanks for the advice. The pest controller turned round and said if they were Mason or Honey Bee he would of tried to relocate them, but with wasps they just exterminate them. So I see your point FOC.

TrailRat

[Palustris]

Nasty. We were stuck in a  Carpark near Wells Cathedral once by a swarm of wasps which were attacking a yellow car which was parked next to ours. We had to wait until the Council came and dealt with them so we could get into the car.
Sad thing is that Wasps are actually quite useful in the garden for most of the year. They take large numbers of aphids. It is only when they are attacked (with fork lift trucks?) or at the end of the year when they are dying off that they become aggressive.

[eileen]

Glad you wrote that about the aphids Palustris as nobody believes me when I tell them that wasps can be useful around the garden. Mind you I'm still scared of the 'yellow perils' though.

Eileen.

[Steven]

A few years ago,one of my friends was stung by a wasp.Almost immedietly,he said "i dont feel very well",

We all laughed and commented that it was only a sting,but still he maintained that he now felt really bad.I looked at his face to see the colour draining out of him-it was more serious than we first thought.We took him to hospital where eventually the docs said he was allergic to wasp/bee stings and probably would have died had we not taken him there! They kept him in overnight and now he runs a mile when anything buzzes near him! Prior to this,he had NEVER be stung before in his whole 25 years of excistence so did not know what it was like.

ps.I havent ever been stung and am equally terrified of wasps.I got stung by a black beetle (not sure of name) as a child which has a scorpion like arching tail.

[eileen]

Hi Bubble,

The beetle that stung you was probably a Devil's Coach Horse.  Nasty little blighters. They look a bit like Clipshears (Earwigs) but with the raised 'scorpion' tail.

Eileen.

[Steven]

Thanks Eileen-i never knew the actual name of the beetle!

Occasionally,one will find its way in my house and always crush them in some bog roll (they make a horrible crunching sound) and still hate the d**n things.

[Val]

 :o Hi Rats, poor wasps, they were only trying to say hello, I've heard, like the others, that they eat aphids, did the spray get them, or was it you pulling faces and they died of fright?. :P