Pssst. Here’s a personal fact you might not know about me. I’m a bit slow. In reacting. But once I react, watch out. Especially when it comes to my two children. Truly. Don’t mess with my kids.
So this happened recently.
Unlike me or his sister my son is allergic to wasps.
It was an unexpected, unprovoked attack. For the past week, I’d been aware of the odd wasp flitting about here and there as I walked down the narrow stairway from our back gate into the back yard. The path is rather narrow as the laurel hedge on the left has spread, as has the rhododendron on the right. On further reflection there was an audible hum too. However, I thought nothing of either. Bad Mommy that I am, I also forgot how my son’s leg ballooned when he was stung for the first time last summer. I attribute this forgetfulness to the fact that thankfully there were no airway issues.
The above photo was taken just minutes after he was stung this second time. (Further proof of Bad Mommy material – she takes the photo before searching for After Bite or antihistamine).
Before I blather on with the particulars you’ve got to promise me you won’t share this tidbit (fitbit) with my mom. She doesn’t know. If alerted, being highly allergic to wasps herself, my 92 year-old busier than me mother will phone me every day to inquire about her darling grandson. She will ask whether he’s had another run in and question if we’ve alerted his doc. This will be followed up by daily ponderings on the necessity of an EpiPen. In short, she’ll be buzzing about it until he returns to college in September. It’s a classic case of don’t mess with the grandkids …
Don’t Mess With My Kids
Ok back to the stinging. All Stung Boy did was walk along the humming, wasp flitting path. He was targeted.
BOOM.
His anguished cry (born of an instant recollection of last year’s reaction) was horrific. It seared my maternal soul.
After first snapping that infamous pic above (oh man it hurts to admit that), I feverishly whipped together a soothing baking soda and water paste. As he slapped the mess onto his pulsating arm, I tore apart the bathroom medicine cabinet and came up empty. Naturally, Laddy took the Benadryl with him to college last September and didn’t bring it home. And the requisite After Bite? Pffft. This is the Kelly McKenzie household. Mr. Organised sadly passed away and left me in charge of the First Aid kit.
I flew up to the local drugstore. The clerk was in Monday morning slow mode.
“Good Morning, Ma’am. Would … you … like … to … sign … up … for … Shopper’s … Points?”
“NO! My wee one has just been stung by ferocious wasps. He’s highly allergic and I must get back to him.”
Wee one? WaspS?
He’s 19. It was one wasp. Hello, Just TypiKel.
Uh huh.
As the knot of fellow customers exhaled a collective sigh of sympathy, the kind woman peppered me with warnings to “Make sure you give the right amount for his weight! It’s easy to overdose when they’re young …” I spun out the door for home.
Benadryl swallowed. Crisis averted. Time to hunt for a source. I came up empty. NOTHING. Huh, must have been a crazed, random wasp. Fast forward two days and the swelling was down significantly. My preoccupation with how the wasps could hurt my boy faded. Don’t judge me, please. Life is busy and I’ve learned to move on efficiently to the next maternal issue.
Fool me. I was stung later that afternoon on my left forearm on the very same stairs.
The penny finally dropped. My boy could be subjected to that hot, swelling and painful experience once again. Both times it’s happened he has also found it difficult to sleep. What kind of mother am I to allow it to happen a third time?
It was on.
Long story short. Where were the buggers living? In the rhododendron. I had to gingerly bend my head to see it; a volleyball sized papery nest dangling proudly from an outer branch. Lord. My daughter was still away at college and my son couldn’t get near the nest. Of course, we were also flying out to a family wedding the very next day. If it wasn’t dealt with immediately this papery delight could grow to basketball proportions. Those nasty wasps would pose a constant threat to my little man’s health. The nest would have to be dealt with that night. By me.
A quick online search revealed the fastest method of nest destruction. Lethal and toxic. I was torn. The poor wasps. Endless blogs popped up outlining the value of the creatures. I was about to decimate a colony. And then I thought again about my son’s health. We used that path many times, every day. Had the nest been more remote, I’d have left it alone.
All readings recommended doing the deed late at night when the wasps were sleepy and the air was still. At 11:00 PM , mere hours before our flight departure, I suited up. My son stood by with a full After Bite tube on hand.
I got her done.
We returned home a week later to find the nest lying desolate, in multiple parts throughout the garden.
Like I said. Don’t mess with my kids.
And Mother Nature? She got me back.
Enough about my waspish warning of don’t mess with my kids. I’m curious about you. Would you have reacted in the same way? Or would you have left the nest alone and walked around the block to the lane to get to your car? How about the nest removal? Would you have blasted it or lovingly removed it? Are you allergic? Think I’m evil? If you’d care to share, I’d love to hear.
44 Responses
Kelly, I can completely relate, though I’m not sure I would have been as brave as you were to take out the nest yourself. Jacob was stung about 10 times last year when we were walking through a yard at an open house. I heard him scream, and in peak mommy mode, I tossed Abby (whom I’d been holding) to her big sister, Sophie, and then rushed off to find Jacob. When I realized he was surrounded by wasps, I picked him up and threw him (yes, one of my finest mom moments) to the other side of me (away from the wasps). After lying stunned for a few seconds (did mom really just throw me a few feet?), he stumbled to his feet and we managed to get away (with me yelling, “Keep Abby away from us” as we ran) without him getting any more stings. (I got 6 in the process.) But when I found a wasp nest at our house a few weeks later, I called a professional to remove it. And it turned out to be for the best because he found a second one that I probably wouldn’t have noticed. But we did get our revenge, if not on the same wasps…at least on some of their relatives. 🙂
I am stung. Literally. Donna, this is horrific. He got stung 10 times and you six? Oh man, thats dreadful. I would have tossed him too. I know I would have. You were so lucky you were able to hand Abby over to safety. The poor little man. How did you treat the stings? You are so lucky that neither of you is allergic. As for me being brave, well I don’t know. I read that if you do it at night when the air is still you should be ok. Friends have told me that my outfit was ridiculous and that if the wasps were alert they’d have stung right through that puppy. I think you were wise to call in the professionals. We actually spotted two weensy ones growing under our eaves last summer. Side by side. My son was able to bat them down (they were really small) but imagine if they’d grown. Yikes.
Yeah, I’d have blasted it too and felt guilty as hell about it. But your kids! How did a wasp get you there?!?! Did it go through the hat?
I was simply walking down the same flight of stairs, Sarah. It was after I blasted the nest a week earlier! One was flying around and it aimed right for my head. I’m so glad it didn’t get closer to my eye. Two days later I awoke with swelling but was fine before that. My new best friend is After Bite. It does soothe the pain. You should see me zoom up the stairs now. My kids think it’s hilarious. However, I’ve not spotted anymore wasps there so hopefully that one that got me was an unaware relative …
I compost and recycle faithfully so that on the off chance I need to obliterate a colony to protect my wee ones, well, game on. Remind me to reenact the removal of the paper wasp nest from our freshly cut first Christmas tree… after we’d started decorating it.
Nooooooo! Oh man. You had a wasp nest in the Christmas tree? Your FIRST Christmas tree? Now that sounds Just TypiKel. Oh I’d love to hear that story. Trusting it was dormant? I thought the dozens of green bugs deserting the freshly cut Christmas tree were bad …
I’d have taken one of those fire shooting gun thingys to the nest for sure. The people writing the “save the wasps” blogs must be the same people who petitioned heavily not to spray my old UBC married housing building for cockroaches in the 70s because when I lived there in the 90s we were overrun and everyone kept blaming the cockroach lovin’ hippies from the 70s!
Fire shooting gun thingys. Ooohhhh. I’d like to learn more about those. Mind you, I’d set fire to the neighbourhood if I used it this summer. We are having a really bad drought here right now. At last count over 200 wild fires burning. And those cockroaches? Yuck. That must have been quite something. Were you in the huts? Do you watch Orange is the New Black? That cockroach scene still gives me chills …
I once had to do the same thing to a nasty wasp nest hanging from a tree right above our patio. I, however, did not think to dress up in such a stunning, dare I say fetching, protective outfit. Well done, my friend! Also, I bet every single blogger who reads your story would have to admit that they, too, would be inclined to take the picture before starting first aid. Our audience requires images to complement our stories, right?
So funny, Mo. Cringing and grinning here at the truth that our audience needs images to complement our stories. Too true in my case. And thank you for the costume compliment. I can loan it to you, if you like. The googles are especially lovely. They fog up the instant you put them on. I was truly flying blind.
I’m so sorry about the wasps and got a bit of a chuckle from your story. I felt as bad laughing as you probably did killing but it’s okay to see the humor in life after everyone’s okay, right?
I couldn’t agree more, Michele. Thanks for the affirmation.
Yikes! Wasp stings are no fun. Last year we had some rotten siding boards replaced on the house and the workers discovered a large wasp nest we didn’t know was there. I think they emptied an entire can of wasp killer on it. Better them than me.
Now you see that’s what scares me. How many of us have wasp nests that we don’t know about? You were so lucky to find that one. I emptied the whole can too!
We had the exact same thing last year. A huge paper wasp nest in our gazebo that we somehow didn’t notice until they started stinging my husband. I wish I had taken a picture of him suited up to do the extermination, because you guys could have been twins. Glad you took care of the problem – sorry they got you first!
Yes, what is it about them that we don’t spot them until the stinging begins? I didn’t notice ours and it was at eye level and getting bigger by the minute. Oh I wish you’d snapped a pic of your husband all suited up. My two kids hoot with laughter at my photo. It would have been grand to prove to them that I’m not alone …
My then 2 year old and husband were stung by a bunch of wasps that had built a nest in our shed. He is now deathly afraid of bees/wasps etc. My husband got rid of the nest. I’m with you 100%
Oh the poor little lad. I am sorry. They are so sneaky – their nests are hard to spot and they are built so quickly. Yesterday my daughter and I went hiking and part of the trail was roped off with bright yellow construction tape. A small sign was attached. It read “Careful, wasp nest.” Yikes. We couldn’t spot it. Maybe it was one of the ground types. Or maybe it was just a sneaky, hidden one. Everyone steered far, far away.
I would have totally done just what you did and suited up to kill that wasps nest, because no way, no how would they have gotten my kid for the third time either. So, totally can relate and you are my hero truly, Kelly!!!
Thank you, Janine. Perhaps we could design the perfect wasp killer suit? That would be awesome.
Have I told you lately, that I absolutely ADORE reading your posts?
I smile and laugh and nod and am truly captivated ALL the way through. It’s a gift, I tell ya. You GOT. IT.
I would have taken that photo shot first too. (Just so ya know!)
Mama’s GOT to fight for her babes!! Especially, her young little one, stung by ferocious waspS… LOL (I would have said that too… ya gotta BRING IT to wake people up and get them moving!)
Kelly, we’ve been in the same boat, minus the allergies, though. When the wasps nest far from the house, we tend to leave them alone. But when they’re nearby, we have to do something — the dogs get stung! We’ve tried communicating with the wasps, visualizing their imminent move across the woods, etc., but nothing in my woo-woo bag has worked. So ho for the toxins. Yes, even though I’m environmentally aware and care deeply for all the insects and animals.
But back to woo woo. It seems that, if we employ all the communication techniques in the *winter*, the wasps build their next season’s nest further away from the house. Now, knowing as little about the life cycle and housekeeping habits of wasps, I’m not even certain if they do build new homes every year, flitting hither and thither in search of delectable real estate. I just know that talking with them, using intuitive means, seems to work if we do it well in advance, when the nights are long and cold and the wasps are konked out in the dreamless.
My husband is the nest sprayer, and he waits until nighttime, when the wasps are all fast asleep. Then he sprays and runs like hell. It’s worked so far!
I would’ve blown up the darn buggers, too. You’re awesome. Love your sense of humor.
Wasps are totally evil and I would have blasted that nest without a second thought! A momma has to protect her young ones!
Thank you! My thoughts exactly.
Wasps are totally evil and I would have blasted that nest without a second thought! A momma has to protect her young ones!
Grinning over the double response. This is so something I would do. And yes, we do have to protect our young ones!
This is just too ironic- the wasps must be taking over the universe. We had the same HUGE paper looking nest in our yard too. I couldn’t believe it was so big. You are amazing for going after it. I’m calling the exterminator!!
We’ve had months of heat and little rain here, Sue. Apparently the wasps thrive in these conditions. I don’t blame you for calling in the exterminator. If ours was any bigger I’d have done the same. Good luck. Love to know how they dealt with yours.
Hello Kelly,
Was such an interesting read. I’m sorry but I’ll be honest…I had a smile on my face throughout. But I’m sorry for the bites you and your son suffered…Happy you dealt with them.
I’m not allergic and if I was a mother I may have reacted in a similar way and feel sad later.
I believe your reaction was absolutely normal. I guess all mothers do the same.
Here in Australia we have deadly spiders. Redback spiders being one of them. Those spiders are usually tiny. Do you know the big long skinny legged spiders?? The ones that you sometimes find in homes? Well my husband has decided to categorize them as deadly too. Last week I had a few red spots on my body…FYI…they were just pimples…but he was just like you thinking the spiders had bit me… “Don’t mess with my wife” ..ahahahaha…
Got the deadly spray and got rid of those poor big spiders…Now that was sad! Because they’re harmless:( But I won’t say it was evil of him….because he just wanted to protect me just like you wanted to protect your kids:)
Oh I do understand, Hema. What a gem your husband is. May the redbacks stay away!
Ouch. I was out in garden and got stung twice by bees. I’ve never ever worried about them. They always seem to be minding their own business doing their pollen collecting. Then WHAMMO twice in five minutes. When one was in my hair, I finally left. That photo of you all covered up is hysterical.
Yes, am I not just the most fetching creature in that outfit? You had one in your hair? Golly, that would have set me off. I normally leave them alone but this time they stung me just as I was walking by. Same for my son. I am thinking we were stung by wasps guarding the nest. We got a little bit too close.
Wow, Kelly, I JUST completed my own extraction to “take back” my sun porch. I had 5 nests growing in my windows, between the screens and the window glass. It was quite a combative situation! How they got in there remains a mystery, but I did the same thing you did–without an ounce of remorse.
You know, there are many kinds of wasps, and they have a tendency to come back. I have been working on getting rid of very creepy almost exotic looking wasps that burrow into wood–basically killed a whole huge branch of my birch tree 3 years ago, then when I sprayed the branch they moved to the back yard and went for the crabapple tree that next year, and now, they seem to have moved onto my big oak tree. They are different than this weeks porch assailants, though. The smaller, more classic looking wasps figured my house was an easy target. Not.
Anyway good for you. I appreciate, and respect nature to the moon and back, but no matter WHAT it is, it better not mess with me and mine. Period.
Wow indeed. FIVE? Good lord. That is a huge task. I am learning aobut the variety of wasps and am so sad you had the kind that bury into the wood. Yikes. I’ve just discovered a huge nest in my large cedar tree. Am thinking of leaving them be as it is far away from any contact with us. But now I’m wondering if I should reconsider. Apparently there are imitation wasp nests that you can buy and hang up near the spot of nest removal. They deter other wasps from setting up shop. But you had five! Hmmmm….
OMG! First off, I’m sorry for yours and your sons stings they hurt like, well you know! Now, I’m dying laughing because of your outfit and method. So many things come to mind like your wonderful neighbor seeing you and thinking you were a burglar, but more than anything I hope you wore that to the wedding!!! Hilarious! I’m allergic so I would have taken a flame thrower and then probably burned the whole house down.
Oh, Rena you’ve no idea. I once called the police to come to my neighbor’s house to investigate. I knew they were away yet there was a huge van with its doors open parked in their driveway. Long story short: they startled a tiler who was happily laying tile in the kitchen. And yes, it was a very fetching outfit that I wore for the wasp attack, no? Particularily hot as well. Dang – I should have worn it to the wedding. I mean the goggles alone …
Oh Goodness Gracious, how I LOVE your stories. I can not tear myself away from them once I start reading! I have had to call professionals out 3 different times (not this year thankfully) because I would ever dare to do it. Great job, mama bear!
Thank you for your kind words, Elda. I am probably going to have to call in the professionals to deal with a huge nest I just spotted yesterday in our cedar tree. It’s basketball sized … just lovely.
Such pesky things – so sorry about the stings!! Yesterday we discovered another nest in the cedar peak above our front door – and it looks like a significant portion of it is actually INSIDE the roof?! I want to call an exterminator. My husband told me to wait until tonight, he might try to spray it (like we have the others) himself. ??!!!
Oh man -that is just awful, Susan. Above your front door and a significant portion of it is actually inside the roof? Ugh. How did you end up dealing with it?
Still working on it! My husband suited up like you did; we fired off a few cans of wasp killer at it = they died. They came back. Did it again, now thinking about calling a professional :((
Hope you have had better luck with yours Kelly!!
Oh man, Susan. I can so relate. The best way to attack our second nest was from the carport. With H being so allergic, he sat in the car ready to open the door for my escape, M was on the deck holding the after bite while I leaned from the carport towards the tree, clutching the can of spray. Emptied the entire can on nest. And no impact. Delights are still zipping in and out. Ugggghhh. I think we’ll have to call in the professionals too. The problem as I see it, is that the nest is just too far away.