The Cool House: The annual swarm

Thursday, March 15, 2007

The annual swarm

The clocks have sprung forward and the temperature is nearly 60F so it must be spring, right? I wasn't convinced because I like to go by the equinox but when I looked out of my bathroom window this morning I noticed this beauty. At the moment it's only tiny so we will need to get rid of it pronto.
Every year it's the same, they build 'em, we knock 'em down. A kind of renewal of the earth ritual, involving sacifice and slaughter. These guys are getting craftier. The first year they were in the weeping juniper, which is a good 15' from the house and easy to spray and remove. Last year they were under the garage overhang - a quick bang with a stick into a waiting sack and they were gone. This time we are going to have to get on a ladder, on Saturday when the temperature is set to plummet 30 degrees to below freezing and we may be blanketed by a late snowstorm too.
I'm looking forward to it. Let battle commence.

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