You are about to read a small but mighty rant. It will not give you a spiritual uplift, or help you navigate your life today. But it’s “on my heart” and I have to release it, ok? You can choose to move along or linger and read.
Okay, you made your choice. Here goes…
To the people who always say, “If you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.” I am sorry, but this simply does not work for me. Today’s pool pondering is about wasps. I detest the creatures.
Whenever someone expresses fear or frustration with creatures like wasps, snakes or bees, you will often hear the advice that if we do not bother them, they won’t bother us. But it is not true!
OK, it may be true about snakes. When I see one in my backyard (which happens, now that I live in Texas), if I walk away, it will slither (shudder!!) away too. But I still know he is there…and I don’t like it.
But, back to my “arch nemesis”, the wasps that love my yard.
Here is my question:
How in the world do I know if I am “bothering “ them?
Does my breathing in their airspace bother them?
If I walk into their flight path accidentally, will that offend them?
If a wasp considers my pool to be his drinking water, will I be a disgusting trespasser when I swim “in his bowl”?
If my pool towel becomes his hiding spot, will he be disturbed by my use of the towel? Will he be justifiably “bothered” by me?
If my grandkids splash water on him, can he lodge a complaint that we “ bothered” him?
Are we hurting his feelings?
Offense is difficult to discern when it is regarding a creature that has no communication skills. Wasps are like specters from an alien planet. And I am expected to know what bothers him, and not do it. How do I do that? I want peace as much as anyone. I am an animal lover. But these creepy guys with their hanging-down-legs-when-they-fly are not animals.
I just now googled, ‘What to do when a wasp is flying around you?’ Here is what google told me to do…
“Just stay still and let it fly off in its own time. A wasp trapped in clothing is more difficult to deal with because any slight movement can press garments against it. So, if you can bear it, stay very still and let the wasp find its own way out.”
Umm, nope! Google also added, “Wasps are very sensitive to movement, so any yelling, flailing, or running will only be worse. The insect will see you as a threat and start attacking.”
Yep, I am in trouble. I also read somewhere that you should never crush a wasp to kill it because the squashing will release an aroma or chemical that calls other wasps to the site. What!?!
The question remains; How do know if I am BOTHERING them? They are definitely bothering me, following me around the pool when I am just trying not to breathe wrong or make eye contact.
HOW DO I KNOW?
Walking Butterfly 
Oh, I can surely sympathize with your wasp dilemma. We have them here on our back porch all summer long, and I can’t even go out there to sit without fear of one coming to attack me. We occasionally spray their nests with the 25 foot long spray, but they always come back and build another nest. I know what Google is saying. When I was a child I remember once I was still in my pj’s, in our un-airconditioned house with all the windows open in summer time. Even though there were screens on the windows, somehow a wasp still got inside the house, and he landed on my little finger. I started to cry, but my big sister told me to stand very very still and not make a sound…with a big ugly wasp landed on my pinky finger! It started to walk up my arm and inside my pj shirt, and my sister kept telling me to be very very still and quiet and it will go away. I was frozen in place…I can remember it now like it was yesterday. But somehow I managed to do as my sister said and I watched that wasp walk up and down my arm and then, lo and behold, he flew away!! And he never stung me!! I am not that brave today. If I see one out there I will go the other direction really fast. I am sorry you are plagued by them, especially in your pool and with your grandchildren. But maybe, just maybe, if one lands on you or one of the kids, if at all possible remember what my sister told me to do. It worked. Google is actually right about that!!!!
I pray no one will be stung, but if they are, keep one of those after-bite wands available. It has ammonia in it with a little roll on ball to roll it on the bite. Or, put a cold wet tea bag on it and it will draw out the stinging. If they are allergic, give them benadryl and take them to the emergency room. Now you have all my knowledge on this subject. I pray you never need to use it. Good night dear friend.
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