The Buzz

Nicholas is afraid of going outdoors. All flying things are probably bees or wasps on a mission to sting. He spends most outdoor times stomping his feet and crying until it's time for lunch or dinner.

In an effort to get him (and the other boys) to spend more time outdoors, I went out with them. I took them to the swingset.

The swingset is on this sandy area of ground. I am assuming the former owners built it up with sand, or a different kind of earth, either to even out the existing land or to make it softer for the former swingset. Whatever the reason, it turns out this type of sand, or dirt, is particularly favorable for wasps.

When you walk near the swingset, you can see hundreds of them buzzing around below knee level. You can hear them. Yes, the wasps are back.

I can't blame the boys for not wanting to play there.

I have looked for a nest. There is none that I can find. I can't find a hive, or a nest, or even a larger hole that most of the wasps seem to hover around. Instead, each wasp digs its own little hole in the dirt. I think they might be solitary wasps. They don't seems to be agressive. I can walk right through them, stand really close to them, turn over the dirt with a pitchfork... I have never been stung.

But still, that's a far cry to sending my kids out to play with them.

Any ideas how I can get rid of them? Besides calling the exterminator?