Why?

[kazmcc]

I have spent the last few days, wandering around the hive, trying to step on wasps, clearing plums and just watching the bees coming and going, enjoying the different colour pollens they are bringing back. Being a new beek, I wasn't even aware there were different colour pollens. That isn't the reason for my post though.

Sat at the computer, my son left the door wide open ( as usual ) and in flew a wasp. To cut a long story short, I found myself locking myself out of the room and getting my ex partner in to deal with it. You can imagine the ribbing I am getting, but why do I feel comfortable around my girls, but one daft wasp in my house has me reverting back to the fear I used to feel before I took on bee keeping?

( Sat here feeling a bit daft and having the pee took out of me by the whole family )

 

[Queens59]

1. Partly, you are now used to your bees, are wearing protection and are therefore safe, and you have studied them and feel comfortable about how they operate.

2. Next, if your bees came in the house you may well react in the same way, it is easy to be calm about something if it is in the 'right' place.

3. You have reacted in this way for a long time and it will take a while to completely 'unlearn' it.

4. Wasps are far more likely to sting I think, have a bad reputation and tend to buzz people - bees don't want to sting...

You have done SO WELL - don't let this blip get to you!

 

[kazmcc]

Thanks Queens, your points make sense. I felt a right prat hiding behind the door lol. My ex refused to come and remove plums from around the hive, yet is quite happy to get rid of a wasp from my house.....he is still chuckling now. I suppose it is quite funny lol. If you are suited up, you trust your equipment. If I had got my kit on I probably would have been able to get rid myself. Funny how fear works isn't it. The thing is, I now don't associate bees with wasps anymore. I'm not scared of bees now, a bumble sat on my bare arm the other day, and I just examined her...didn't flinch.....but wasps still scare me.

Thanks Queens, you are a star

 

[victor meldrew]

Wasps away from their nest react a little like bees, ie having nothing to defend they usually shy away from a swipe
Swipe at a honeybee ,miss and she will probably have a go !

If a wasp gets in again bop it with rolled up newspaper (she's doomed anyway)
If a bee blunders in, trap her against the window with a dry tumbler, slip a piece of card between window and tumbler, carry her out suitably trapped and release her outside

John Wilkinson

 

[Queens59]

That's what I do with spiders!!

 

[kazmcc]

I always get a plastic tumbler for bees, even when I was frightened of them....it would take me a while mind. I do the same with spiders too, well, anything I want removing....but the wasp had to go. The ex bopped it for me, laughing all the while, saying call yourself a bee keeper...cheeky swine lol.

I was just pondering the fact that I was stood in an enclosure with lots of bees and wasps around me and was quite comfortable, then one comes into the house and I'm back to running from the room. Odd how the fear part of the mind works.

 

[Heather]

I hope the MCC has nothing to do with Man City...no wuzzes allowed there.

Come on lass- wait till its in front of you then slap between 2 hands- dead! I used to be the same - now they are seen as a pain in the butt and are despatched asap. About 50 corpses on my garage floor - other 2 sheds about the same- if I can do it- you can- we M/C girls are made of strong stuff.

 

[kazmcc]

The Mcc is for McCartney.....my surname, and I'm a red, sorry lol...good to meet another Manc lass though

My family can't believe how quickly I got over my fear, it's only been since the 1st July don't forget.....just this wasp took me right back. Went down to the girls and told them about it, just to make sure my phobia hadn't returned fully. It wasn't a daft girly fear I used to have, it was a full on terror. Physical and psychological symptoms. Always felt stupid afterwards, but had no control whatsoever over it. Good news is, my girls were very sympathetic, and brought me some different coloured pollen to take my mind off it. One sat on my cuff for a while rubbing her legs to reassure me lol, I think it's just like Queens said. It's because I wasn't expecting it to be there, and I am still scared of wasps, whereas I find bees beautiful now, and understand them and their behaviour.

 

[Somerford]

well last week I opened my hobby/tool shed that had a super in it with extracted combs in it, having seen a wasp or two entering in under the door....and wooosh...I was hit from all directions as 100s of wasps flew past me into the light....I stood stock still, closed my eyes and walked backwards slowly, and was not stung.
I think if it had been bees, I might have been (ie if the hive was open)

interesting !

S