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[willong]

We had a huge stump in the back with carpenter ants. The model planes we used to melt as we ran around the yard with this flaming plastic plane. We were in our glory. I never forgot the sound of the burning plastic dripping to the ground, Vrip, Vrip,Vrip. I burned my hand with a drop and I still have the scar over 45 years later.
ROBBYBOBBY64.

That is a cool sound!

I never burned up my army men--would deploy them tactically, then launch dirt clod artillery barrages instead. However, I did firebomb ant nests. I not sure, but I think I am relieved to know that I was not the only sick kid out there, though I ponder what that says about humanity.

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

That is a cool sound!

I never burned up my army men--would deploy them tactically, then launch dirt clod artillery barrages instead. However, I did firebomb ant nests. I not sure, but I think I am relieved to know that I was not the only sick kid out there, though I ponder what that says about humanity.

I almost forgot about dirtbombs. They were the best. These were actions of a child and we should treat them as such, lol!
ROBBYBOBBY64.

 

[Jamdam]

We had a huge stump in the back with carpenter ants. The model planes we used to melt as we ran around the yard with this flaming plastic plane. We were in our glory. I never forgot the sound of the burning plastic dripping to the ground, Vrip, Vrip,Vrip. I burned my hand with a drop and I still have the scar over 45 years later. I still remember I was in mid loop to loop when it happened. Lol!
ROBBYBOBBY64.

I didn’t want to get too detailed about the “vrip, vrip, vrip” because I was worried you’d think I was strange but forgot we were all kids once! That sound.

 

[willong]

However, I did firebomb ant nests.

They say that Karma can be a bitch. Evidently, she's a bit of an ironic one too. We are all the way through Spring, and halfway through Summer already. I was beginning to think I might make it through one year without getting stung by wasps or hornets. That is, I was thinking such until less than two hours after posting about my childhood tormenting of ant colonies. Then, as I picked up a roll of old salvaged carpet which had been sitting on my brick pile for three years, and which I was about to use as a new base for my expanded and long neglected compost pile, a sting on my already aching left knee drew my attention to the fact that I had just dislodged and entire Yellow Jacket nest from the folds of the carpet!

At this point, the only thing that really surprises me is my escape after merely one sting.

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

They say that Karma can be a bitch. Evidently, she's a bit of an ironic one too. We are all the way through Spring, and halfway through Summer already. I was beginning to think I might make it through one year without getting stung by wasps or hornets. That is, I was thinking such until less than two hours after posting about my childhood tormenting of ant colonies. Then, as I picked up a roll of old salvaged carpet which had been sitting on my brick pile for three years, and which I was about to use as a new base for my expanded and long neglected compost pile, a sting on my already aching left knee drew my attention to the fact that I had just dislodged and entire Yellow Jacket nest from the folds of the carpet!

At this point, the only thing that really surprises me is my escape after merely one sting.

You hit one of my biggest fears is disturbing a nest of yellow jackets. I have been stung too many times.
ROBBYBOBBY64.

 

[Csa]

Omg. Same history with me. The dripping melting plastic models we torched about a year after we built, glued and painted them. Testors paints and the glue!! My son asked the other day what the pea sized scar was on my forearm. Liquified model plane drip, that’s what

 

[willong]

You hit one of my biggest fears is disturbing a nest of yellow jackets. I have been stung too many times.

More than a fear for me--it is a reality almost every Summer. On an occasion when I stepped on a ground nest while working a fence line on Fort Lewis (near Tacoma) I didn't notice until they were swarming all over me, as I had been focused on making my way through the underbrush. At first, I thought I had merely brushed a stinging nettle with my hand. Then it was a swatting and yelping sprint for about 1/4 mile before I could get away from them. It was difficult to tell precisely, because some stings were multiple on the same spot--I'd been stung at least eleven times. That was a harsh way to earn a half-day off!

Wasps, hornets and ticks are the bane of my outdoor experiences and mosquitos and biting flies an aggravation (I don't live where those latter usually carry deadly diseases). I'll likely die before they get well established here, but the Asian "Murder Hornets" are newly arrived in western WA.

 

[ROBBYBOBBY64]

More than a fear for me--it is a reality almost every Summer. On an occasion when I stepped on a ground nest while working a fence line on Fort Lewis (near Tacoma) I didn't notice until they were swarming all over me, as I had been focused on making my way through the underbrush. At first, I thought I had merely brushed a stinging nettle with my hand. Then it was a swatting and yelping sprint for about 1/4 mile before I could get away from them. It was difficult to tell precisely, because some stings were multiple on the same spot--I'd been stung at least eleven times. That was a harsh way to earn a half-day off!

Wasps, hornets and ticks are the bane of my outdoor experiences and mosquitos and biting flies an aggravation (I don't live where those latter usually carry deadly diseases). I'll likely die before they get well established here, but the Asian "Murder Hornets" are newly arrived in western WA.

Yellow jackets are a type of wasp. Not many know they don't die after stinging you once they can sting multiple times. That's where the sting on top of sting comes from. I got hammer on an old stone wall I was repairing. They came out of no where and so many. I couldn't walk for 3 days after swelling up. My dad is very allergic and would stop breathing if stung.
ROBBYBOBBY64.