I really loathe wasps. While in Prague, a friend was quite shocked at the slow and deliberate way in which I tortured them; I managed to capture 5 of the little bastards in a beer glass and spent a couple of hours watching them suffocate before killing them.
I only reserve this sort of treatment for wasps. Other creatures on the little island where I live (being the UK) are treated with respect (unless they stray in front of my car when I'm trying to beat my home-to-work-after-getting-a-page record.) I even like spiders.
But I can't stand wasps. I think the problem is to do with First-born, who was stung by one of the little so and sos as a baby. And since then I have carried out my vengeful retribution over the entire species. With the aid of beer glasses, wooden spoons and, on occasion, my car keys.
Which is why we have this photo. There's quite a wasp problem in the UK at the moment. I imagine the environmentalists will mutter things about "global warming", or "climate change" or even "which one of you bastards spiked my herbal tea with vodka?" Whatever. I ride a bike to work, so am allowed a certain amount of insufferable smugness.
The photo was taken at my aunt's birthday party this afternoon. A great party, but lots of wasps in the garden. So the Newly Single wasp catching device was deployed (an old jam jar with a bit of strawberry jam and water in the bottom.) By the end of the afternoon each of the 5 jars had snared 10 wasps apiece. A good day.
The bees buzzed around the flowers all day and didn't bother a soul.
