[Magdalen] Hornets

[Jay Weigel]

My little brother Lawrence, when he was 3 or 4, accidentally rode his
tricycle through a hornets' nest that had fallen from a tree onto the
sidewalk. He didn't know what it was. Of course the hornets were not happy
in the first place at having their home precipitously dropped multiple
stories onto the ground, and then at having a bulldozer being driven
through it by a giant (their perspective), so you can imagine the end
result. He recalls the neighbor, in front of whose house this happened,
coming out with a broom to chase off the hornets, and my mother tearing
down the hill shrieking, He also recalls it as the only time he ever saw
Mom run. He was one miserable little kid for a few days.

On Sat, Jul 30, 2016 at 11:31 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 7/30/2016 10:51:58 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> gracecan at gmail.com writes:
>
> But I  can't imagine getting stung five  times...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> Paper wasps - there are several species in Eastern North America -  have
> been a problem both at my home in Wisconsin and here in  Pennsylvania.
> They are generally docile unless their nests, which can become  enormous,
> are threatened.
>
> On one occasion myself and the four Miniature Schnauzers disturbed
> one of their nests, and we were all stung multiple times.  My  favorite
> dog (Comet) was stung about 15 times and began to howl pitifully.
> The other dogs had fewer stings.   I could do nothing for her  because
> I had more than 20 stings.  I had healing pityriasis rosea and  immediately
> all those spots swelled up.  Somehow the dogs and I got back to  the
> house where my wife gave the dogs a cool shower.  I was  concerned
> enough that I went to the local hospital ER after taking a Benedryl.
>
> Luckily, despite the severity of the stings I and the dogs did not  have
> systemic symptoms.
>
> It was not a fun experience.  I give their paper nests wide  berth.
>
>
> David S.
>
>
>
>