the huntress

captain's log: spent most of the morning hunting wasps.  7 males killed.  one female hit but not mortally wounded.  one male missed. day by day numbers are reduced and by evening all is quiet along the line of defense.  mornings show fresh enemy reinforcements.

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the wasps have been coming out in force.

the yard is littered with holes from where they emerged to do their dark task.

i took this picture and it still chilled my heart and made my stomach cramp when i found it in my pictures.

this means one thing.... all morning and evening activities are suspended so i can sit on my back step and stalk my prey.

it's amazing how one becomes so familiar with the habits of the enemy.  up to a certain point we had to wait until they landed to make a kill (the males never land it seems)... their flight paths were too unpredictable to nab them from the air (you have to really coat them with spectracide to kill them; otherwise, they just limp off and recover in some tree)

that was until the ace off-brand wasp killer with foamy action.  yes, i have a new love.

the foam coats their wings and forces them to land where i would then suffocate them with spectracide... while giggling with glee.  it's a great double gun system but eventually i went through last years stash of spectracide and i have had to resort the the old faithful fall back plan of all mankind... stun them from the air (with my foamy wasp spray) and stomp on them with my size 8's.

so far my kill count is up to 75 ... that includes 5 being born from the ground.... i didn't need to see that.... not sure how i'm going to sleep from now on... i'm thoroughly grossed out.

notice the female is twice the size of the males.

the evenings are the best hunting for the females and you have to hope you've killed them before they've laid the next generation.

dear wasps,

please move to an obliging field or empty lot.  can't you understand that i will kill you, hunt you down, a relentless and committed pursuer.  i would let you be but i now know the consequence of that and peaceful co-existence is impossible.  please move... or you will die.

sincerely, your mortal enemy,

the huntress
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captains log as of august 2012:
105 enemy invaders killed.

8 as individuals emerging from ground.

7 mounds found and destroyed to the best of our technological ability.