Creating the nest – Photo: L. Weikel

Wasps In Our Face: Part 2

As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been puzzled by the influx of wasps into my life this summer. I’d even forgotten, until I wrote that post, that I’d been stung by a wasp exactly two weeks before discovering the intricate nest of paper wasps on our home’s office window.

It’s a little disconcerting, I’ll admit. It’s a large nest, and they’re continuing with new construction. And even though I looked them up and discovered that they don’t routinely attack people for sport or entertainment, they will seriously attack you up if you mess with their nest.

That does pose a dilemma, although in our case, I suppose it’s not as bad as it would be if it were on our porch or close to our front door.

Leave Me Alone…

This first tidbit of information on Wasp reminds me, actually, of what I learned about the Copperhead snake that I nearly fell on. Both of these creatures (a) are a bit scary and warrant being given a wide berth; but (b) are not known to go after a human unless we provoke them, either by accidentally stepping on them or going after their nest.

In other words, they leave us alone unless and until we fail to respect their boundaries and get in their faces. That feels significant to me.

On a purely practical note, I didn’t realize it, but they tend to prey on caterpillars and other destructive insects, which I suppose may be one of their greatest contributions to the ecosystem. They also do engage in some pollination, although not – I believe – to the same extent as, say, honeybees. One slightly creepy aspect of their eating habits is that they paralyze their prey instead of killing it. They bring the paralyzed captive back to the nest so the grubs can feast on it, and since it’s not dead, it lasts a bit longer – and doesn’t rot.

Animal-Wise

One of my go-to resources helping me understand why a particular creature may be showing up as a messenger in my life (or in the lives of my clients) are the books by Ted Andrews. While he’s written many, my favorites are Animal Speak, Animal-Wise, and Nature Speak.

The ‘keynote’ expressed in Animal-Wise on Wasp is “Protective nourishment and role fulfillment; dreams fulfilled through practical effort.”

As I read through the couple pages of information, these words popped out at me as being relevant to me and my life right now:

“…(Wasp and its activities) reveals how to construct and nurture our dreams. The six-sided cell is a geometric shape associated with the heart. The grubs are the things of the heart that must be nurtured and hatched in solidness. Dreams without practical preparations are more likely to fail and die. Dreams motivate us, but their fulfillment is based upon work.” (emphasis added)

Yes, I’m getting a clear message that I need to get to work on manifesting my dreams. Interestingly, Andrews continued: “Wasps have a cycle of power ranging from spring to fall. Late summer it is stronger. Wasps have a tendency to become aggressive in the late summer and early fall. And this cycle is usually at place for those to whom the wasp is a messenger.” (emphasis added)

Andrews then asks some questions that, I must admit, are worthy of my serious contemplation (and getting answered in my journal): “When wasps show up, we should ask ourselves some important questions. Are we feeling paralyzed in the pursuit of our goals? Are we building from the ground up? Are we working solitary or for the group? Are we fulfilling our tasks? Are those around us doing their parts? Are we pursuing our dreams in a practical manner? Are we getting too aggressive in our pursuits?”

I feel it might be worth asking if I am being aggressive enough to achieve my dreams.

He concludes with this thought: “Protection is strong around you now. Dreams will be fulfilled through practical efforts and fulfilling your role and responsibilities.”

Grateful Contemplation and Appreciation

I am grateful for the appearance of these fascinating creatures in my life. It doesn’t escape me that they’ve built their nest precisely in such a way that enables me to watch how they nurture those first, inner grubs – the dreams of the hive – and how they build everything around them.

Seems I’d best get to work.

One Last Thought

I have to admit, the appearance of this nest from the outside of our house is a bit… disconcerting. I share it with you below.

To me, it looks like a woman, blindfolded, her mouth open in some sort of expression. What is she calling out? Does she represent Justice? Or is she just a mummy?

(T-800)