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And how to source sustainable honey!
Dear Reader,
After an oppressively hot summer, the weather had finally turned. It was Labor Day weekend, and Dot was hosting an outdoor dinner. Mr. Dot had stopped by a roadside stand and picked up a dozen ears of corn. And then … the wasps moved in. While most of us braved the onslaught and gamely kept eating, Mr. Dot moved his meal indoors and, separated from both the wasps and the rest of us by a screen door, ate in relative peace.
It’s easy to hate wasps. They ruin outdoor dinners, and they don’t even have the goodwill to die after stinging us. Instead, they sting again. And again.
But could it be that these banded bandits are misunderstood? Unfairly maligned? I couldn’t have imagined it until I read this:
“Wasps are excellent predators of the tiny bugs that eat our crops (aphids) and forests (caterpillars). They help control invasive species. In fact … four wasp species [are approved] as “biological control agents” to combat the emerald ash borer, an Asian beetle that is destroying ash forests around the country.” What’s more, the article in The Walrus tells us, “Even the worst part of wasps — their venom — has an astonishing range of uses” including treating arthritis, as anti-coagulants, as immunosuppressants, and more.
In other words, wasps are more than just weaponized ruiners of summer. They are disease fighters! Invasive species controllers! Cleaners up of roadkill!
But why the violence toward us? One researcher quoted in the article notes that wasps “communicate by pheromone, and if one feels threatened, they spread a chemical alarm through the air that stirs their brethren into battle mode. There’s another side to that: If you don’t want to get stung, stay calm. Let them inspect you. Don’t freak out. They’ll fly on. Ignore them and they’ll ignore you; panic and they’ll panic too.”
If you must arm yourself against wasps, consider that they’re also highly territorial. By hanging “fake” wasps nests, you’ll deter others from coming near. Dot tested this solution by picking up a paper nest at a dollar store, and, Reader, it worked!
So Dot is declaring a truce. For one thing, the wasp army has mostly retreated, albeit perhaps to rearm for next summer. But also because wasps are a good reminder that even the most annoying insects have a role that we may not understand (and therefore value) until our crops are aphid-ridden and our arthritis flaring. A salute to this week’s misunderstood (but admittedly highly irritating) Climate Champs.
Stingingly,
Dot
Local honey is the most sustainable choice. Check out these amazing beekeepers in San Diego, Boston, and Martha’s Vineyard.
For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.
