Dawn419 & doc's LSTA: Confounded Computer!!!

[Wannabefree]

Wasps are attracted to blue and bright colors but especially blue. They hate black, and they aren't generally aggressive during the Spring, they're just looking for food. When you have to worry most about stings is in the Fall when they are collect enough food to sustain them through the winter. I hate the stupid things too, but they love me, and I am allergic Sorry little demon bugs They especially love to buzz my face :/

I never thought of gardening at night with a head lamp! Thanks for the idea

 

[Dawn419]

You're so welcome on the head lamp idea!

Thank you for the stingin' meanie info...I just happen to be wearing a light BLUE shirt!

Maybe I'll make up some sugar water for them and change my shirt! I'll do anything they want if they'll just quit buzzin' me!

 

[Wannabefree]

I had never been stung until a couple years ago. I then proceeded to get stung every month for three consecutive months and have an awful sick reaction to them. First was a paper wasp, not so bad, then a red wasp...a bit worse...and then a yellow jacket and WHOA MOMMA that little jerkface troll hurt the crap out of my shoulder and made me sick the rest of the day Soooo.....I did some research on ways to avoid getting stung. I haven't had a horrible life threatening reaction yet, but I do get the rapid heart rate/face flush/hot flash/nauseating feeling. No closing the throat, but my doctor said that may be next :/ so I aint takin any chances! My favorite color was blue...but now that's shot I seriously changed my whole wardrobe and wear nothing but black t-shirts now when I work outside. I still haven't figured out how to keep the stupid things out of the shed without calling an exterminator. Then we have a dead hickory tree that has a MASSIVE nest...we're talking hundreds in there..right out by the end of the garden :/ Traps work, and I have been saving 2 liter soda bottles for the little evil buggies mwahahaaaaaaaaaa

 

[pinkfox]

wasps get me good too, hornets are the worst though...if you react to wasps avoid hornets like the plauge!
bees give me some mild hives...paper wasps give me some nasty hives, other wasps give me a pretty bad reaction, hornets dang neer kill me.
i was told to avoid "flower" colors (yellow, cornflower blue ect) and avoid "sweet" smelling perfumes/deoderants ect...(best not to use any hair or body products and dont use body wash ect in the morning before working in the garden, either just "rinse" or save your shower for after your done with garden stuff for the day.
also be carefull with sunscrens and lotions too, many contain bananna extract and that attracts them too!

i love bees because there woderful polinators, i like wasps in general because there amazing predators...but they need to stay the heck away from me lol and hornets...well im sure there are plenty of beneficial bugs that they can just stay away! hornets ill kill with no second thought...wasps i do try to ignore them whenever posisble and try to deter them from wanting to stay...
honey bees, carpenter bees and bumble bees ill leave alone for the most part lol.

 

[Denim Deb]

I never used to have any reactions at all. I got stung plenty of times as a kid. (The neighbors across the street had a pear tree in the back yard, and I can remember eating pears, getting stung, and going home crying to mom.)

Then one day, I had a yellow jacket crawl down the collar of my jacket and sting me in the back of the neck. I broke out in hives all over. Scared both me and my parents half to death! They rushed me to the ER. I got stung a few more times after that, sometimes I reacted, sometimes I didn't. So, I started to carry an epipen. It wasn't until a few years ago that I had had enough. I went to the allergist and let him run the necessary tests to see which I was actually allergic to and started getting the shots. So, every month I go to the allergist and get 3 shots for bee stings. Then, 2 weeks later, I go and get 3 shots for regular allergies. But, it is working. I'd love to be able to stop going all together, but can't.

Oh, and I've never been stung by one, but I've heard that one of the most painful wasp stings is from a female velvet ant. They're also known as a cow killer.

 

[Wannabefree]

Pinky I agree with you on the floral scents and stuff, but have heard they hate the smell of coconut, so I have coconut scneted deodorant. Suave makes it, and I am going to have coconut scented everything this Summer

 

[snapshot]

Tomorrow I am making deodorant with coconut oil and corn starch. Good timing I guess!

 

[hqueen13]

From what I understand from my mom who is a paramedic the allergic response builds up in your system the more times you get stung. I guess the body can't rid itself of the venom, so it remains there, hence each sting having a greater reaction.
I use coconut oil for lotion so that works! (Course the next question is does it attract anything else I don't want! LOL)

 

[Dawn419]

I'm guesing the stinging meanies aka Red Wasps are just attracted to my sweet personality since I don't use deodorant (unless I'm going out into the "civilized" world) and perfume...what is that?

My wardrobe, however, is a major magnet for them...lots of tie-dyes, plenty of blue and red, a lot of red. Warned doc that I'd be raiding his black t-shirt stash!

Their main nest is located just off the back northeast corner of our place...in an abandoned bait feeder. Their next favorite place (besides right in my face) is the dead tree that is serving as a corner post for the main garden fence. Someone (I will be nice and not mention any names) has been going to cut down that tree for the past two winters.

I've got plenty of empty 2 liter bottles so I'm going to make a few traps and set them out in strategic spots...away from where I spend most of my outdoor time.

Went to do my ACV last night and the apples are just too far gone. Hmmm, maybe if I put them out in the middle of the road they'll attract the red wasps and the semis will help me thin them out.

It's up to 83 now...I suspect summer will be here early (again) this year...sigh!

Well, I'm going to get off of here and go hide in the shed and get some more seeds sown!

 

[Dawn419]

Sigh...got to bed early only to be wide awake now.

Not sure why so I'll claim that it is the peepers' fault as they are soooo loud this year. I'm hard of hearing and our last 2 years here, I had to listen really hard to hear them. This year, however, we are surrounded and doc and I have had fun the past two nights saying "HUH, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!" What a great chance to get out complaints! Not complaining about their noise but am glad that there are so many this year...we must be doing something right and they're making it home here, too.

Got a lot more seeds started for the cold frames as I hid from the stinging meanies today. I've got a magnetic screen door on the eastside small door and had it opened up. It was entertaining to watch them fly to it and try and figure out why they couldn't get in. I snickered quietly over that one the whole time I was out there!

Mom is coming out later this morning to bring us a 9-pack of Spinach starts and to just hang out and help me with whatever. I'm excited to show her my kefir project as I have some milk straining for cheese and will feed my grain while she's here. We'll do our darnedest to avoid the wasps, of course. And we'll scheme against dad! He's wanting to take over the spot that we started her herb garden in last year so he can plant tomatoes there this year. Doc is already working with us on this situation by letting dad know that tomatoes will like it better in full sun and not the eastside bed where we actually have grown lettuce all winter long at their place. There are actual herbs, too. We've got chives, cilantro and parsley.

Bubba and our guest cat got to hang out a bit and the guest cat was so proud to do a little hiss and "make" Bub just stand there. Cats...you can't tell them how it really is, you just have to play along!

Want dibs on the first kids? They'll all be blue eyed Tell Doc you have some on hold in Tennessee for next year

Make it for 2014 and I'm all over it. Tried real hard to convince him it was the thing to do and he passed me the reality check. I totally dislike the reality check! He's right (<<<yes, I typed this without him knowing so), we don't have the browse OR pasture for them so it wouldn't be fair to them. However, I will start getting some shaded pasture ready for the future. And in a nice way, I'm continuing to remind him that he brought up getting started on the cabin this year since my goats got nipped in the bud. My small table would look great with small goats!