Getting up close and personal with a wasp for the sake of a good photo.
When I was about 11, at school, I was stung by a wasp. It hurt, a lot. It crawled up my leg by my skirt, I didn’t realize, brushed it and it stung me. My knee was sore and swollen but we thought nothing of it. A few years later when I was about 22, a wasp landed on my neck and stung me, again because I brushed it off and annoyed it. That time, it was apparent that I was allergic to wasp stings. My skin became red and swollen, my mouth and tongue were swollen and my face and eyes started to swell and close. I became wheezy and felt very weird. Fortunately, I was working in a hospital at the time (I was on a smoke break in the hospital staff garden, yes, I used to smoke, I don’t anymore) so was able to get treatment pretty fast and recovered, but now wasps and I are not really good friends and I try to avoid being stung.
WASup is something we use for normal wasp and bug stings, of course, I carry an adrenalin pen, and strong antihistamine these days for me. I am pretty live and let live about wasps and don’t kill them, and we always try to scoop them up and move them out to the garden when they find themselves in my house. It’s not their fault I am allergic to them, after all.
When we were at Wakehurst Place this weekend, I took my proper Nikon DLSR camera to take lots of photos, and I spotted this little wasp busy and not bothered by me, so I got up close to take some shots. The husband and kids tend to flap and freak around wasps (which usually annoys me because I am the one that shouldn’t get stung and probably will) so I waited ’til they had walked ahead and took some photos.
Wasp was too busy to sting me and I got a good shot. Win all round and no stings.
So pretty and peaceful!
A great up-close photo, I am never fast enough to take their photos.
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When I was a child I was stung on my hand and it swelled up then just like you on my neck and thankfully just my neck and some of my face became swollen and didn’t need to go to hospital but was sent home from college. I am terrified of getting stung now.
As nasty as they are they are beautiful creatures. x
That’s a great shot. I’m not a fan and will happily kill any I see! We thankfully caught a wasp nest in time before they starting reproducing and hatching last year. Fingers crossed this year they’re severely reduced. I think N would probably be slightly allergic. The OH and he always react to bites, although he’s never been stung thankfully.
That does sound like a win! I’m impressed that you are so calm about wasps, despite your allergy. Plenty of people (my husband included) aren’t calm, even though they’re not allergic.
I run away from wasps! Got bitten as a child..was so painful!
Great capture though
Oh dear does not sound good, and yes flapping etc does not help, glad you were in the right place to get treated.
That’s a very uncomfortable experience for one to go through. Lovely click. So great of you not to kill them simply because you’re allergic to them.
you were very brave getting up close to the wasp after what you’ve been through with them
Love the close up. I really need to read my camera instructions so I can use it properly! #project366
Scary to find out you were allergic like that, but convenient to be so close to help. It’s understandable that you are very wary. I’ve only been stung once by a wasp and once by a bee, but I think the second sting is when you are more likely to find you have an allergy. Sounds like you are all prepared to deal with any stings anyway.
That’s a great close-up of the wasp. I remember being stung by one as a child and it makes me very wary around them although I have learned not to flap about. It sounds like you are very well prepared and calm around them – fingers crossed you won’t get stung again. #project366
Fab photo! But I do hate wasps. I react badly to any insect stings/bits, with the swellings, and bite marks for many months. I did faint once as a child, when stung by a wasp. Looks like you’re well-prepared now. I haven’t heard of WASup, will look it up.
What a gorgeous capture. I love the detail, it’s so clear x
What a fabulous shot and so super brave of you! Cor, that must have been really scary at the time, but how lucky you were on a break outside the hospital and got treatment quickly!
I’ve only *touch wood* been stung once many moons ago and it wasn’t pleasant, I’m cool with bees but have to admit I do want to run in the other direction when I see wasps! Hope you are keeping safe and well away from the pesky little critters and enjoying your week! Sim x
Thank you.