CNN and other news shows occasionally shove in fillers at the last minute when the news day is exponentially longer than the T.V. day. Lately I’ve
seen a few “animal bonding spots” that show the cute but short-lived stories of pigs adopting chickens, cats adopting mice, goats watching over cute
and cuddly rabbits.
It happens. We love it. Un-natural bondings, matings of cute things. Well, it finally happened to me. In my bodega. Like most of these things, it
was totally accidental.
I pay little attention to the wasp nests hanging here and there in my little bodega but one morning a nesting wasp buzzed me a couple of times when I
was in a bad mood and for no special reason I grabbed her just as she landed on her mud nest, smashed her thorax between my fingers, reached up to
dismantle the mud clump. Just as I placed my fingers on the rounded adobe shell a baby wasp flew out, landed on by finger. Perhaps she smelled the
scent of her mom on my finger – my normal impulse to dispatch the small insect was held in a special kind of momentary abeyance because of the
posture, the almost “Tinker Bell” appearance and movements of the juvenile wasp.
Over the next couple of hours the tiny thing flew and fluttered about me, never leaving much room between us --- as I moved from the bodega to the
patio to the house the little thing stayed close, landed on my head, my shoulder, my arm. On a whim I got a small paper plate, put on it a piece of
raw hamburger, a few drops of honey, sat down to see what would happen next. While I was wondering if the insect could possibly see me as a parent I
was also trying to remember if these insects eat nectar or bugs/meat. I didn’t have long to wait. The little thing went from the meat to the honey,
the honey to the meat and stayed long enough at each that I became convinced it was eating both. This breakfast experiment took almost an hour.
For the next three days she buzzed around me, was there waiting when I crawled out of bed each morning at first light. On the fourth day, just at
dusk, while I was downloading some things at the computer she waited and watched close by on the sill of the open window to my study. Suddenly, out
of nowhere there appeared another large wasp; he was darker, brutishly bigger than the smaller insect. He lit near her and evidently spayed and
enveloped her in his powerfully irresistible pheromone --- in the blink of an eye he flew off (literally) into the sunset. She followed close behind.
I never saw her again.Diver - 6-17-2007 at 07:36 AM
Just like a kid to fly off and forsake her parent(s) for some hunk ! bajamigo - 6-17-2007 at 07:59 AM
Send that story to Pixar.Mexitron - 6-17-2007 at 08:29 AM
Nice...!woody with a view - 6-17-2007 at 09:14 AM
Osprey
now you have a great fathers day tale!Cypress - 6-17-2007 at 09:33 AM
Osprey, Your generosity and compassion will become legendary in the insect community. Once upon a time I watched a blowfly lay a string of eggs up my leg. Didn't allow them to hatch. Thanks for the story.FARASHA - 6-17-2007 at 11:50 AM
I LOVE IT - a nice one Osprey !amir - 6-17-2007 at 04:58 PM
Another great allegory by Osprey. Thanks.DENNIS - 6-17-2007 at 05:29 PM
Do you think that wasp really bonded to you, osprey?
Disney would ask you that before they filmed your story.woody with a view - 6-17-2007 at 05:31 PM
Quote:
Do you think that wasp really bonded to you, osprey?
Dennis
which do you mean, the mother! or the baby?
[Edited on 6-18-2007 by woody in ob]roundtuit - 6-17-2007 at 05:33 PM
Once upon a time in a land far-far away BAJA Where dreams become realityDENNIS - 6-17-2007 at 05:38 PM
I don't know, Woody.
If, as Amir says, it's allegorical, I can't relate to it. But, I can't relate to a lot of things.
If it's a fairey tale, I'm disappointed for osprey.
If it's fact, I find it unbelieveable.
I'm stuck on this one.amir - 6-17-2007 at 06:19 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
If, as Amir says, it's allegorical...
If it's a fairey tale...
I meant allegorical as having a hidden symbolic meaning; didn't mean to doubt the veracity of Osprey's story.
Maybe I used the wrong word, meant as a compliment to Osprey's wonderful writing style.
--AmirIflyfish - 6-18-2007 at 12:25 AM
Do you now get unexplanable urges to regurgitate paper? Flit around your place? Find your self buzzing for no apparent reason?
Just wondering?
IflyfishOsprey - 6-18-2007 at 06:10 AM
Almost all my stuff is fiction. I don't know why I write it. This story might have been better if the mother had stung me, I reacted, etc. I really
doubt the mother would hang around the nest at a time the hatchlings were emerging and a 4 day old wasp is probably too young to mate. They probably
don't need scent communication so much because this kind don't hive up. Rather than rewrite the piece I'll just let you all decide if the larger wasp
was an aunt/uncle, in the wasp slave trade or a waspaphile and you can make up your own story, have a little fun in your head like I do all day.
Thanks for reading, letting me have a little fun.Diver - 6-18-2007 at 07:34 AM
Osprey,
You have all the fun you want and we will all enjoy reading your tales.
Always a pleasure !!
.kellychapman - 6-18-2007 at 07:20 PM
what a great tale......it just goes to show ya anything can happen....just thank god there were not 500 of the little critters......
keep them coming....woody with a view - 6-18-2007 at 07:23 PM
dennis
i meant (tongue in cheek) that it "bonded" well when it stuck to his finger......
edit: p.s. can you quit with the $10 words? i've got a sunburn and my mind can't wrap around "allegorical".
[Edited on 6-19-2007 by woody in ob]Pony - 6-18-2007 at 07:57 PM
What a lovely read for my first time as a new member. I think osprey has pretty powerful pheromones as well. Must be a scorpio...
Once upon a time I watched a blowfly lay a string of eggs up my leg.
Didn't allow them to hatch.
Thanks for the story.
I LOVE IT - a nice one Osprey !
