Sunday, May 14, 2006
Mad!!!
Wasps hate any disturbance to their nests, and blowing or breathing on a nest, in particular, will get you into serious trouble under natural circumstances. Fortunately, what happened last night did not cause any injury to me because of the enclosure.
I was cleaning the cage at night, when the wasps are usually all sleeping. For some reason, my nose has been blocked the past couple of days, so I was probably breathing a little heavier than normal. Worse still, the room in which all animals in my place are kept can get stuffy at night. Thus while reaching into the far corner of the cage, I unknowingly inhaled deeply and then slowly breathed out. Suddenly, the wasps went berserk. Every single wasp except the queen and three workers left the nest, and flew in an agitated manner. Thankfully my quick reflexes enabled me to pull my arm out of the enclosure and close it in a split second. The wasps were not just flying wildly, they were flying towards the front of the cage, aiming at my silhoutte. Some started stinging the wire mesh! What a close shave. I shall have to watch my breathing when working with them.
There are now a total of 17 wasps. More larvae have started to pupate as well. Soon, I guess, I will no longer be able to count the number of wasps so easily!
