Hornets nest; didn't go quite as planned .

[comanche 3,283]

Just when l was congratulating myself on having cleaned up today's jobs by lunchtime a call came in. 

There was a hornets' nest in a 14th century alms house in a churchyard and the Warden,who apparently normally dealt with his own nests, had baulked at this one .

The approach up a narrow spiral staircase to the upper room where the nest was hanging didn't offer  much scope for manoeuvre  .  l opted to use a hand puffer to apply the powder as even a short lance would've been a hinderance. 

Suited-up ,l approached the nest which  despite the time of year was in decidedly full flow.

At the first dab of with the puffer the nest fell off the ceiling. The little loft space suddenly seemed horribly crowded as the nest split open to release its host of somewhat peturbed ( a mild understatment) occupants. I amost forgot that l was wearing my armour!   

Unfortunatly  ,or perhaps fortunatly for him, l realised that the blxxdy Warden's head was poking up into the attic.

Clearly l had been  too polite when l suggested he stay outside. Though what l said next was definately not polite . In fact ,bearing in mind we were on church property , it was quite Ungodly! 

I think he realised it was for his own good though and he scuttled away unharmed. He was quite happy to pay me so obviously held no hard feelings. He was also very glad he hadn't tackled the nest himself.

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2021 by comanche

[FLATTOP 5,239]

Earned your money there mate

[Nicepix 5,650]

Plenty of chub bait there Kev. 

[comanche 3,283]

26 minutes ago, Nicepix said:

Plenty of chub bait there Kev. 

Doh; black bin liner,  night in the freezer . And l could've saved thrupence worth of powder too!           Win,win.

Hindsight is a wonderfully  annoying gift.

[Nicepix 5,650]

Last year I did a routine visit on one of my mole trapping jobs. The house had been rented out to British holidaymakers who complained of wasps getting into a small bedroom and leaving debris on the bed which was under a Velox window. I had a look and then rooted around the basement for something useful. Armed with some ant powder I went back to the room and told the guy who had reported it to go downstairs as I wanted to leave the bedroom door ajar in case of a quick exit. He wouldn't heed the advice and stood in the open doorway watching me. I carefully opened the Velux at which point half a dozen wasps entered the room. Next thing I hear the door slam shut as the bloke made his escape leaving me shut in. Fortunately this species of wasp only has a small nest so no real harm was done. But it has learned me a lesson regards having customers or onlookers too close to the action.

[comanche 3,283]

1 hour ago, Nicepix said:

Last year I did a routine visit on one of my mole trapping jobs. The house had been rented out to British holidaymakers who complained of wasps getting into a small bedroom and leaving debris on the bed which was under a Velox window. I had a look and then rooted around the basement for something useful. Armed with some ant powder I went back to the room and told the guy who had reported it to go downstairs as I wanted to leave the bedroom door ajar in case of a quick exit. He wouldn't heed the advice and stood in the open doorway watching me. I carefully opened the Velux at which point half a dozen wasps entered the room. Next thing I hear the door slam shut as the bloke made his escape leaving me shut in. Fortunately this species of wasp only has a small nest so no real harm was done. But it has learned me a lesson regards having customers or onlookers too close to the action.

I've had a few "moments" with customers that are a bit hard-of-hearing . Conversations tend to be rather loud with the result that the jaspers are put into repel boarders mode   before l go anywhere near the nest. One deaf chap followed me up a loft ladder with a torch beause he considered my little red lamp inadequate

The wasps used the torch and him as targets!

Then there was the time a lovely , very arty but slightly unworldly lady asked me deal with the cluster flies that were finding their way into her art room.  They were glueing themseves en-masse to her  drying paintings.

The attic above the art room contained the worst infestation l've seen. Think of something from that Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here TV programme.

I left her instructions to shut the hatch behind me while l set off the smokers but be ready to let me out quickly .

She hadn't counted on my whippet-like speed ( l was younger then)in such situations because when l reached the loft hatch she didn't answer my calls. It turned out that she had nipped downstairs to put the kettle on . A thoughtful but misplaced act because   the hatch was  of the type that sit in a deep frame and has to be pushed up from below.

After pondering my predicament whilst holding my breathe as best possible l managed to stab a penknife into the hatch and use it as a handle.

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by comanche