A Genuine Bad Ass

When you see me comin’ better step aside
A bunch of bugs didn’t and a bunch a bugs died.

Goodness Sakes! Crumby put out a fresh banana today for the insects to share. It’s funny. All the insects do mostly share. Oh well. There is some minor quarreling and wing batting. But its like move over a little dude so I can have a little of this nice banana. That pretty much describes everyone’s behavior that comes to the feeder for a nice, free banana or maybe some delicious juice or sugared beer. It’s close to a peaceable kingdom.

Except when the southern yellowjackets (Vespula squamosa) show up. A southern yellowjacket at the feeder means no other insect gets to be within 1.5 yellowjacket bodylengths of the yellow jacket. Any bug that doesn’t move out of the way gets bit. And all of those bugs move. Even the biggest butterflies move out of the way. They are all scared of the yellowjackets. The fact is, yellowjackets are so scary, they are even scared of each other.

Me too. I’m scared of them. Southern yellowjackets will actually sting Druids. They are practically the only Hymenopternas that think stinging Druids is not only OK under all circumstances, but funny. And what they really like to do is gang up. They are masters of the gang up and also the low blow if a vicitim happens to be adorned in shorts or chorts, as some call those skimpy yet cool garments.

That’s right. Once upon a time Crumby was going along in his chorts when all of a sudden a bunch of southern yellowjackets jumped Crumby, stung Crumby multiple times, then laughed while Crumby danced about the pasture screaming for mercy.

Notice in this uncropped photograph, no other bugs are in the frame. There’s a reason no other bugs are in the frame.