Friday, September 06, 2013

Full frontal, drunk and comments

The  pigeon pictured the other day but  this time looking towards the camera.

The attitude towards wasps in our  household has matured over the years. Nowadays  we practise toleration. We allow the insects  to satisfy  their hunting  and gathering  instincts, in pursuit of food for their queen and youngsters. On the whole we have found the policy brings its rewards. If we are not aggressive neither are they. Or so we thought. Until the other day  when one descends from the nowhere and stings  my dear other half on the neck. No revenge is taken but a wariness develops; trust is frayed at the edges; the relationship if not in peril has chilled. Today comes an explanation. It seems that at this time of year wasps feed on over ripe fruit where the sugars have begun to ferment. Drunk you say? The wasp is drunk. But is that and excuse for an unprovoked attack? Ladies and gentlemen of the jury...

Attention all those who have been deprived of  making comments here. I have reverted to the old, simple template in the hope that Blogger will prove itself more cooperative. Tell me please dear visitors if it works. I hope so. Comments are like cold beer in a heat wave.

8 comments:

Tom said...

So here's to you.

The Crow said...

There I was thinking this view of the pigeon, now scruffy-looking with feathers askew, looks as if it had had one too many. Perhaps it had eaten from the same fruit as the wasp?

marja-leena said...

I think I liked the pigeon's back view more - or the superb photo of it!

So here's testing comments... wish me luck on first try!

CC said...

So orry your better half was stung. But the idea of drunk Wasps is fascinating. I've heard of this happening to Bears and other fruit eating animals...so why not Wasps.

CC said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roderick Robinson said...

No problem with posting a comment into the new/old template. But, as I said, I haven't had any problems for a couple of months now.

I am in two minds about suggesting the change. I know the newer template pleased you and the post's begetter (especially one as conscientious as you) is surely entitled to some incidental entertainment,

Drunk or not, wasps do not encourage St Franciscan thoughts. Their colouring, the shape of their bodies, their whining buzz, and their wilful desire to attach themselves to my world all add up to one reaction in me: they must die in exchange for my comfort. So I can then have a perfectly calm and adult conversation about whether insects have a place in the environment I have fashioned. The answer is of course no but I have a talent for stretching things out a bit.

Lucy said...

So glad to be able to comment again, it had become almost impossible on my small computer, except for the most occasional and rare instances like the other day, which would come and go inexplicably like the Land of Green Ginger! Tom had a bit more sporadic luck on the bigger computer, but why mine, which functions entirely on an OS based around Chrome and other Google stuff, should refuse to allow me into a Blogger - also Google - site, was hard to understand. I hesitated to suggest you changed the template back, for the reasons Robbie gave, but I have missed dropping in for a word!

I think it's bit early for wasps to be drunk, though the blackberries are very juicy there aren't windfall apples rotting yet - plums maybe though in your part of the world? I think early in the season they are carnivorous, eat other, often pest, insects, are generally alert and very focussed on feeding their young. Later on with the cooler weather, more sugary food available, and less else to do, they become slow-witted, greedy and bent on their own pleasure. Since Saga holidays and blogging are not available to them for diversion, they hang around us being a nuisance! Having been stung very painfully on the lip some years ago by a fat sleepy October wasp which flew into my face with no provocation whatever, I'm afraid I too have little tolerance of them at this time of year, and generally kill them on sight. Mind, it's been one of the many marvellous things about this excellent summer that there have been very few wasps or hornets to be seen, despite the good weather, perhaps because of the late cold spring.

tristan said...

greetings, earthlings !