Another
global warming
outcome
GLOBAL warming is causing wasps in America to build huge "super-nests" with thousands more than usual just waiting to sting.
Agricultural experts in Alabama say there can be as many as 15 000 wasps in a super-nest, four times normal. Some of the nests are the size of a small car.
In most years, the winter freeze kills off many colonies. But if that doesn't happen and a colony survives the winter, a super-nest can form. So far 15 have been found in Alabama this year, according to Huffington Post..
The wasps in question are known as yellowjackets and are highly aggressive. They sting repeatedly if disturbed, and the outcome can sometimes be fatal.
Oh boy, people must watch their golf bags. The last time I played golf we were disturbed by hornets – I suppose you could call them "bluejackets".
I was invited to play in this tournament at Richmond Country Club, not having played much since varsity days. Came the day and I couldn't find my golf bag, which was an ancient, battered item filled with non-matching clubs.
Eventually I did find it hanging in a garden shed at my parents' home. With relief I threw it into the boot of the car and set off for Richmond.
What I didn't know was that hornets had built a huge earthern nest in the bottom of the bag. Being jolted around in the boot of a car all the way to Richmond put them in rather a bad mood.
When I opened the boot to get the golf bag, a cloud of angry, buzzing hornets flew out and began stinging everyone in proximity – except myself, oddly enough. It was as if they wouldn't attack the chauffeur, who had to drive them home.
It caused some consternation and anguish. Not a good start to a day's golf. Alabama golfers need to carefully check their bags.
Researchers at the Polar Institute fitted the young female with a GPS tracking device and freed her into the wild in late March last year on the east coast of Spitsbergen, the Svalbard archipelago's main island, according to the BBC.
The fox set off west in search of food, reaching Greenland just 21 days later - a journey of 1 512 km - before starting the second leg of her trek.
Maybe the fox-hunting folk were out on the ice with their hounds and chivvied her along. Tally-ho! The unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable, as Oscar Wilde put it.
Tailpiece
IT'S a sunny morning, and this fellow is on the golf course beginning his preshot routine, visualising his upcoming shot, when a voice comes over the clubhouse loudspeaker. "Would the gentleman on the ladies' tee please back up to the men's tee."
He remains in his routine, seemingly unfazed by the interruption.
A little louder: "Would the man on the women's tee kindly back up to the men's tee!"
He raises up out of his stance, lowers his driver, and shouts, "Would the announcer in the clubhouse kindly shut up and let me play my second shot?"
Last word
A sense of duty is useful in work, but offensive in personal relations. People wish to be liked, not be endured with patient resignation. - Bertrand Russell
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