Ever seen Alfred Hitchcocks "The Birds"?

[CaptainJoe]

I felt like I “starred” in it, this afternoon.

 

Bulldozing a steep patch of woods out at the farm when all of a sudden I’m feeling this immense pain on my face, ears, neck and arms, akin to being stabbed repeatedly with a ice pick.

 

Then I noticed the black hornets all around me and my vision started to blur.

 

I throttled back the bulldozed turned the key off and jumped off the right side.

 

Right into a large patch of briars, but, I didn’t feel that as those winged bas&$%ards were still after me.

 

I ran down the bank pulling my tee shirt off as it was covered in hornets.

 

Got very nauseated and headed for the road to flag down a car. Very sick on the stomach.

 

No one stopped.... four cars went by....

 

Walked to the neighbors house , no one home...

 

Well I climbed up a hill to where I could get a cell phone signal and Called Penny, she came right away... (15 miles away)

 

Mean while unbeknownst to me, mom had called the ambulance

 

Penny got here and after looking, determined I only had 20 or so bites and my eyes were glazed over.

 

Well, mom called said ambulance was on the way and I told her to cancel it. She said 80 hornets will kill a horse but I told her I wasn’t bit with 80.

 

so........... Went to garage to find me a little payback... in the form of a can of wasp and hornet spray .

 

Got the whole way (300 yards) to where nest was. It was hidden in honeysuckle and was 5 ' from the bulldozer seat.and although the can was completely full, it had lost all pressure over the years and it dribbled out.

 

Guess that payback will have to wait...

 

Then I told Penny I was going to ride the bike back, but when I went to put the helmet on $#@^&*(( it hurt bad))

 

So glad she brought the car. The bikes still at the farm.

 

My ears are still hurting as I write this 5 hours later

 

So... How was your day?

[bongobobny]

Gee, and I am upset because I found out I need a new lower fairing piece!

 

Thanks Joe, I feel better now...

[etcswjoe]

Glad you did not get it worse, Dad had a similiar think happen mowing he got a gallon of gas and burned the suckers.

[CaptainJoe]

bongobobby, glad i could help...

 

etcwsjoe, I'm praying for rain, cause it's back in the woods and I'd like nothing more than to wrap a rag on a 10' long stick and soak it in diesel fuel and hold it under the nest. Pretty effective way to get rid of them as long as I don't set the woods on fire.

[spitfire9]

My buddy had that happen while clearing brush. Hope you feel better tomorrow, and glad it wasn't any worse. With the drought and heat we had in MO this year, I have never seen so many yellow jackets and paper-hanger wasps in my life. I guess they liked it hot.

[bongobobny]

Uhhhh, yah Joe, not a good idea to use fire!!! Better buy a new can of wasp spray...

[CaptainJoe]

Thanks Spitfire9.

With yellow jackets its actually better to pour gas in the hole and stuff a rag in it.

No need to fire it up!

[OB-1]

Glad you're reasonably okay... That really had to hurt.

 

I did battle with some local wasps last night. I splashed them with gasoline and they dropped in mid-flight. They had gotten under the siding on the house. A can of spray foam sealed the cracks and hopefully their fate.

[CaptainJoe]

OB-1, Thanks

 

I don't know what hurt worse, the bites or the scratches i got running thru the briars (was wearing short pants)

 

When i was a painter we always carrried around kerosene in a spray bottle. Spray the nest, knock it down then apply a match!

[Brake Pad]

I know a great cure, laying on a beach chair in Key West, that will help dry out the stings & and few beers:draming:

[CaptainJoe]

Brake Pad, that sounds interesting! Ya think Penny would go for my having two vacations in Key West in one year?

Edited August 17, 2012 by CaptainJoe

[OB-1]

OB-1, Thanks

 

I don't know what hurt worse, the bites or the scratches i got running thru the briars (was wearing short pants)

 

When i was a painter we always carrried around kerosene in a spray bottle. Spray the nest, knock it down then apply a match!

 

Ya know there just something wrong about drivin' a dozer while wearing short pants in WV...:rotf:

 

Hornets or briars? Man you really needed a third choice. Glad you can joke about it now.

[Yammer Dan]

I got rid of the Yellow jackets in my front yard last night. Waited til dard poured about a pint of gas into one of the holes. They had three entrance holes close together. Put five gallon bucket over holes weighed it down to seal no bees this morning.

[CaptainJoe]

payback!

Edited August 18, 2012 by CaptainJoe

[Yammer Dan]

Just watch out for their neighbors. I got two nests of Yellow Jackets. One to go. They ain't! Got me YET!!

[leo3wheel]

Wow! Glad you're okay.

[Yammer Dan]

I can take a wasp sting and almost laugh and just keep going. But yellow jackets or hornets are another thing. They cause throbbing pain for hours. I do not care for those things!!

[playboy]

Keep some Bleach handy when working in high risk areas if applied quickly or with in minutes it will draw out the poison and relieve the pain and swelling.

[OB-1]

payback!

 

 

Nice dozer!

[Flyinfool]

Oh man could I make use of a dozer like that for a weekend.

[CaptainJoe]

Yammer, The hornets neighbors were some yellow jackets the day i killed the hornets one bit me at 3pm. i backed the bullozer up shut it off and there were 40 or so of the little ba%$#&s flying around. Quit for the day but ill be back with gas and a couple of rags.

 

Bleach?... I'll give it a try. my wife put some water baking soda and put on bites.

 

The dozer is a 1959 John deere 440 3 cyl GM Diesel that I restored. It is a sweet little machine and weighs in at 6000lb or 3 tons. easily trailered by my 3/4 ton Chevy

4 x 4. The hood is off because i have to take the radiator off this fall and have the top repaired /replaced (hence the large blue water jug)