August 24

The temperature this morning was a cool 47 degrees, well below where things should be and a taste of what is around the bend.

Below the eave of a window in the back of the house, a small yellow jacket nest sits tucked within, hanging upside down so that the cells face open to the ground. It looks like a medium garlic clove, though the paper is grayer and the cells are only the size of a pencil eraser.

We normally avoid these nests in August, on account of the activity. Yellow jackets aren’t as aggressive as the paper wasps or ground wasps, which will seek out intruders with a vengeance. Still, there’s no sense in poking the bear, as is the idiom, so we keep a respectful distance from the half dozen or so nests that get established each summer.

This morning however, it was possible to have a closer look. The cooler temperature had slowed the yellows to the point of lethargy, and it was safe to inspect the nest despite the eight little demons that perched in stupor on its surface.

Their antennae were moving slowly, and when I breathed softly on the nest, several beat their wings rapidly in response. Whether this was a warming mechanism or simply an attempt at flight, I can’t say, but in the process two of them dropped from the nest to the ground below. There they lay buzzing slightly, though lacking energy enough to do much more.

The remaining moved about the nest slowly, obviously agitated by my breath, yet the only response they could mount was to walk about to one another, touching antennae.

An hour later, I returned to inspect the progress, as the nest had been exposed to direct sunlight. Despite still cool temperature, the radiant energy was enough to liven the wasps to the point that getting too close became risky.

Notes:

Ragweed in full bloom.