By Allen Hamrick, Clay County Free Press
CLAY, W.Va. — What is one common activity that binds most people together in the summer? It isn’t the great outdoors as we hike our favorite trails; it isn’t the boats we board and head to our favorite fishing spots. It’s not that new bike we just bought to ride all the miles of trails or the side by side trails that cover this state. If you are living in West Virginia, it seems that the yellow jackets have taken over this year. No matter where you go, the ground is covered with them and hornets. They have been playing havoc on those unfortunate beings that have uncovered their hideouts. From high in the mountains to the low lands, there are yellow jackets aplenty. These small yet mighty winged creatures can scare the hair off the head of the toughest individual. I have seen people who have been swarmed with the insect run wildly, flailing their arms and screaming as if they were being torn apart. Their very low sounding hum is enough to be background effects on a horror movie. People are getting surrounded in their homes, fearful to go outside due to the possibility of stumbling upon one of the many nests they build. Nests are in the ground, on porch overhangs, inside kayaks, under porch swings, and remember that tarp you folded and laid up for future use? Make sure you check it first. For the most part, the buzzing yellow jackets are staying close to the ground, on flowers and dog waste.
There is a lot of speculation as to why the swarms of yellow jackets have seemed to double or triple from last year. I have heard people say that they have never seen yellow jackets as bad as they are and attempt to try and justify the reason to today’s political climate. Honestly, the yellow jackets are worse this season; you don’t dare go without shoes or you will get a pedicure yellow jacket style. If and when they get up your pants leg, look out. Saint Vitus dance takes on a new meaning and all reasoning leaves your mind as they sting where you can’t reach. You run and twitch, wildly screaming in a language known only to your ancestors all the while attempting to get your pants off while looking for the nearest hole of water or water hose. It happens every year, but this year it seems different. Some believe it is the heralding of a winter of biblical proportions that we won’t be able to dig out of as the yellow jackets get prepared as they are for the winter of 2024. They have been thick enough in the yard to walk on and can fly circles around your head while dodging your cat like reflexes. People are arming themselves with the latest can of Hot Shot or some other wasp and hornet spray just to get to their vehicles or to keep from being chased back into the house. One poor fellow built a new outhouse complete with fan, lights, mosquito netting and wall to wall carpeting but forgot to check under the lid. By the time he realized raising the lid was a bad idea, the yellow jackets relieved him of his reason for being there. Anytime you see as many yellow jackets covering the yard as they are now, you better be watchful they can turn on you like a starving wolf.
Read more: https://claycountyfreepress.com/news/cc-top-stories/the-war-on-yellow-jackets/
