Let’s Talk Insects

[Tipi Walter]

Tipi

I suspect the yellow jacket nest in your photo was dug out by a skunk. Had it been a bear the hole would have been more the size of a trash can.

The undisturbed yellow jacket holes that I've seen are not much bigger than the diameter of an index finger. Hard to spot. Most of my stings hiking have been on the calf so it's probably the nest is behind me by then. I've learned not to stop if stung, but to put some distance from the site. Then dig out the Benadryl.

I've also been stung on the hands while brushing. To get a better grip on the swing blade I don't wear gloves if it is warm. Carefully watch for the holes that are typically on slope where the trail is cut into the side hill. If I hear buzzing--run!

A great percentage of the yellow jacket nests I find (in the woods and on trails) have been dug apart by mammals---even though the nests may still be active---so they're easier to spot. Of course for the ones I don't spot I usually get tagged. And like you say, a hidden nest has a small opening and is impossible to find until it's too late.

And Pisgah NF yellow jackets are bigger and worse than Slickrock/Citico hornets---learned thru hard experience. By Pisgah I mean in the Wilson Creek backcountry---Upper Creek, Harper/North Harper, Raider Camp, Lost Cove Creek---and Steels Creek and Linville Gorge etc. Miss Nature breeds them big and mean and they'll chase you down for extra pain. On my last Pisgah trip I was bushwacking to connect Upper Creek to the Mountains to Sea trail and got hit by 5 of the bastardos---with one sting on my left ear producing weird black line "markers" in my eyes for several weeks.

The worst experience I ever had was heading out on a trip and bringing a can of Knudsen ginger ale for a mid-trip treat. I opened it up during a reststop and dangit if a yellow jacket didn't drop inside and I slurped him into my mouth whereby he stung the crap out of the inside of my lip. I spit him out fast and he walked away half-crippled but I didn't kill him because we both had a bad experience and I wanted him to have a good story to tell his grandkids.

[MuddyWaters]

The worst experience I ever had was heading out on a trip and bringing a can of Knudsen ginger ale for a mid-trip treat. I opened it up during a reststop and dangit if a yellow jacket didn't drop inside and I slurped him into my mouth whereby he stung the crap out of the inside of my lip. I spit him out fast and he walked away half-crippled but I didn't kill him because we both had a bad experience and I wanted him to have a good story to tell his grandkids.

When my daughter was about 8 a similar thing happened to her camping with can of sprite. Her bottom lip swelled up like a big shooter marble......but totally went away in several hrs as well.

[Tipi Walter]

Attachment 44746
When you know the bugs are really bad. Hate headnets, but I'll go there, especially for night hiking.

My headnet is always part of my standard load and I'll bring it on my next trip (this month in March 2019) because if it's a hot March I'll need it. (We had "the hottest March on record" back in 2015---or was it 2016?---the bugs were bad and I didn't bring my headnet).

Here's some pics of Headnets in Action---

Trip 183 (277).jpg
My buddy Patman in his headnet on the North Fork Citico trail.

TRIP 113 110-L.jpg
My buddy Hootyhoo using a paint strainer for a headnet on the Brookshire Creek trail.

Trip 146 026-L.jpg
Rain Man and Uncle Fungus in headnets on the South Fork Citico trail. Poor Sarah didn't have one, sob, but she's a USMC vet and can handle bugs.

[OwenM]

Teens to 20s on the night/s I'll be in TN this week, but the way February went, it could hit 80 next week and I wouldn't be surprised.
Didn't say it, but the headnet goes "just in case" as temps transition(and all dayhikes in warm weather), because I don't switch from ground sheet to mesh inner for my tent until I have to.
I like that even less than the headnet

[Dogwood]

Be alert for bands of trail pirates. They were last seen, one female two males, in the S Fork Citico vicinity. The leader has been known to raid CS's based on reports of him being seen hauling all manner of gear he looted.

[blw2]

question -- I know deet is damaging to plastics/equipment. Does it hurt dynema?

as for deet. I really do not like how most of those sprays make me feel. absolutely miserable....can hardly sleep if I put that on during the day.
I found the "Dry" stuff by off, cutter or similar is much better...almost no problem.

[OwenM]

Don't know about Dyneema. I read that DEET won't hurt it, but I read that on an internet forum somewhere, so you know what that's usually worth.
The reason I've tried so many alternatives is that I used to be into rock climbing, and didn't want DEET getting on my stuff. Maybe that was a waste, since it doesn't hurt nylon. I've got a bike helmet that one of my little spray bottles leaked onto, though, and it ate into the foam inside and part of the outer shell. Most definitely harms plastics, and that kind of thing will make you automatically not want to get it on anything else, either!