The Start of an Adventure

This journey began one summer when red paper wasps decided to make their nests around my home. Their presence was particularly overwhelming, and I was reluctant to let my children wander beneath those nests.

So, I took action and began knocking them down with a broom, much like I had done in the past. But instead of leaving the nests abandoned, I had a sudden memory flashback.

At nine years old, while visiting my dad, I had come across a two-foot-long wasp nest. I remember approaching it with a stick, captivated by the swarm of wasps buzzing around. The vibrations from their flight were almost tangible. Though there may have only been thirty wasps, they felt like hundreds.

As I prepared to poke the nest, the wasps suddenly fell silent and turned their focus on me. In a moment of realization, I turned to escape, but not before they launched their attack. I was stung nine times that day and ended up in the hospital.

Thus, picking up those nests became my way of reclaiming control over a past trauma. But what would I do next?

Inspired, I opened a jar of old banana baby food and used a toothpick to feed one of the grubs. To my surprise, it ate!

The Preparations

With some nearly empty eyeshadow compacts, I lined the insides with paper towels. I then carefully removed the half-grown larvae from the nests, feeding each one as I placed them in their new homes.

Why not leave them in the nests? I wanted my children to witness the developmental stages of the wasps firsthand. I know it sounds strange, but the experience was remarkable!

The Journey

I kept the compacts on my desk, stored the banana baby food in the fridge, and kept a box of toothpicks handy. Throughout the day, I would carefully feed each grub alongside my kids, who were fascinated by the way they resembled tiny caterpillars.

As time passed, the little white grubs grew longer and began to turn yellow. Eventually, they stopped eating altogether as they began to pupate.

I documented each stage with my children, pointing out their movements, body shape changes, and the transformation into adult wasps. The most captivating moment was when the pupae developed legs and began to twitch.

Finally, we faced the adult wasps.

The Fear

After tending to the grubs one day, I discovered one of the wasps attempting its first steps. I prepared a clear bug carrier and encouraged it to explore. Soon, others began to awaken and needed more space.

We observed the wasps drinking from a water lid and nibbling on strawberry slices. Then, the moment came to release them outside.

I took the carrier outside and instructed my kids to stay inside for safety. As I removed the lid and stepped back, the wasps climbed onto the sticks and leaves, exploring their new world before taking flight.

In my excitement, I didn't notice that one had landed on my sleeve. When I raised my hand, it buzzed and climbed onto my palm, gripping tightly with its tiny feet.

I froze, unsure of how to react. It stared back at me.

Making Peace

I stood there, caught in what felt like an alien encounter. The wasp followed my movements with its head and eyes, washing its face while perched on my finger.

Then, it stung me. Unlike any sting I had experienced, this one was sharp yet fleeting, fading into a memory almost instantly.

The wasp examined the spot where it had stung me before turning to fly away, leaving me to ponder what had just transpired. Miraculously, the sting did not swell or cause me further pain.

In that moment, my fear dissipated.

The Conclusion

My children and I continued to raise the remaining wasp grubs, releasing them as well. Although no others chose to land on me that day, for years afterward, I would sit on my porch with applesauce, welcoming wasps to share my snack.

While they weren’t the same wasps I had raised, I liked to imagine they were their descendants. In a way, I felt like their grandma.

Since that summer, I haven’t destroyed a wasp nest. They no longer build around my house, which I’d like to believe is due to a shared respect for our spaces.

Would I recommend this experience to others? Not necessarily, especially if you have a bee sting allergy. Always keep an EpiPen handy and know your nearest hospital route. Yet, for me, this journey was worth the risk, and my children have a fantastic story to tell as they grow older.

Buzz On, Everybody!

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