Yellow Jacket Sting

Tom Militano

Tom Militano

KNIFE MAKER
There I was, minding my own business in the shop, working on a handle. It was almost ready to hit the buffer and all of a sudden it felt like somebody hit me in the back of the head with a club. I threw my hand back there and swatted a yellow jacket off my neck. It was my turn to deal out some pain, he is no longer among the living. That son of a gun got me right on the back of the neck, at the base of my skull. I've been stung with them before, but never had one hurt like that.
 
I got hit with 3 of them last year when I opened the door to a '73 Ford truck that hadn't been moved in a while and they had nested in the door jamb. Two right in the big muscle on the underside of my left forearm and one smack on the funnybone behind the elbow. My hand opened up hard of it's own accord and froze like that for a bit. Nastiest sting ever and I've had them on the face, even. I wonder if they're becoming more venomous over time.
 
Yellow Jackets and Hornets don't play around. They'll knock a grown man on his butt!

If you've got any chewing tobacco, press some over the sting. Takes the pain away.
 
I once saw a yellow jacket make a Caterpillar D-9 flinch!
I get into a nest of them about every other year on average because I do so much work in the woods. I believe they have the most painful sting of any insect. I say the skunk is the baddest critter in the world because they will dig up and eat a yellow jacket nest,imagine that,eating yellow jackets for a living!
 
I was cutting line with a chainsaw and the man behind me was throwing the brush off the line. He grabbed a 10' alder and swung it over his head cutting a paper wasp nest just about clean in half. I only got stung a few times he got nailed good. That was a rough way to start the week.
 
Andrew, I did scream like a girl and tried cussing, but it didn't help so I started crying. Crying didn't help much either, so I gave up and started working on the knife again.
 
Frank Hunter said:
I got hit with 3 of them last year when I opened the door to a '73 Ford truck that hadn't been moved in a while and they had nested in the door jamb. Two right in the big muscle on the underside of my left forearm and one smack on the funnybone behind the elbow. My hand opened up hard of it's own accord and froze like that for a bit. Nastiest sting ever and I've had them on the face, even. I wonder if they're becoming more venomous over time.
Click to expand...

Frank,
Unfortunately I think you getting older is making you more susceptible to the sting. That's why it hurts more. Hope you heal up soon.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
I like to do my brush hogging late in the year, mostly to avoid the ground hornets and yellow jackets. Last year I had to get it earlier than normal. I ran directly over one yellow jackets nest while keeping my eye on another one. The next thing I new there was a swarm of them around my head, the tractor moving. I didn't hesitate; kicked my 48 model AC out of gear and jumped off. The yellow jackets stayed with the still moving tractor and brush hog leaving me to pull them out of my hair. I'll never mow before the heavy frost again.

I feel your pain, Fred
 
I mowed over a nest of them in the ground. First pass riled them, second pass they let me have it, and I dove off of the riding mower and let them have it. I got hit by three of them before I could figure out what was going on, and yes they will make you say things you didn't even know you knew how to say! And hurt I don't think there is anything sting that hurts worse or longer! They can make a woose out a tough guy in a short while!

yellowjacket_zps00d9bb44.jpg


The wife looked up just in time to see me pouring gas down a hole in the ground and throwing a match on it! Revenge is a dish best "served hot", in this case!

I will tell you a real quick funny story, funny because it happened to my boss and not me! Back in the day when I was framing we would let the plywood on the roof overhang while getting it framed out, and once the Gable truss had been straightened and nailed off. Then we would pop a line (and I was in much better shape back then, I would duck walk down the roof as ) I cut down the line as fast as the saw could cut and still keep a straight line.
My boss was standing on the ground and as the scraps were hitting the ground he was picking them up and throwing them in a pile to get them out of the way. When I finished the cut at the bottom of the roof I stood up just in time too see my boss stripping out of his pants and fanning them in the air.

One of the scraps had landed on a yellow jacket nest in the ground and as he was picking it up they went up his pants leg, and well he was just trying too get rid of them. I couldn't help but ask what the HEY are you standing there in your drawers. When he told me I couldn't help myself I laughed out loud. Of course he called me a few pet names but it was funny too see!:biggrin:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top