We have had a lot of rain this summer and as a result I've had very, very little reason to water plants or the like. What water I needed I could get easily from my almost always full rainbarrel. About a week ago I had reason to water via the hose. Really exciting, I know. Excitement came when I started reeling in the hose when I really got nailed good, right in my bicep, by a big black hornet. Maybe I've never been stung by one before because this wasn't like anything I've been stung by before. Within 30-40 seconds this bite REALLY hurt. Stopped reeling, went in the house, and put some bactine on it. On the way back to the hose reel I grabbed a can of wasp/hornet spray and soaked the whole hose reel cart. Went back to reeling the hose in and damn if I didn't get nailed again, in the hand. Took a swipe at the thing... missed... and went back to reeling only to have the little sucker get me again in the thumb. Since that time I don't mind admitting that I've been a bit shy about using the hose again. Well, today I said "No more, damned hornets!" and went to find out where they could possibly be hiding on the thing. My guess was in the core of the reel. So, I sprayed the whole cart then unwound the hose, with a can of spray in my hand, sprayed the entire cart again and just kind of watched. Nothing. OK, that's cool. Just as I was going to start reeling the hose in I saw one so I knew they were still there somewhere. With can in hand I approached looking for anywhere they could be, spraying as I went. Three cans used up just so you know. Just as I was about to call it quits I sprayed some into the only hole I could see in the cart. Voila! Three of the critters crawled out and I nailed them! I proceeded to flood the holes, one on each side, spraying maybe 6-8 that crawled out, and I think the battle has been won. I'll wait an hour or two before reeling the hose back in :)
I thought any nest would be inside the core of the reel. Didn't see anything in there. See the little hole where the crosspiece joins the handle?
This hole! One on each side got a squirt of spray and out they came. I stood my ground, hardly flinched, and fired away. Kept going back and forth to each hole then turned the cart upside down as now I could see that this hole allowed access to the hollow handle and I wanted to get some spray dripping inside in that direction. I'll be putting some duct tape over these holes!
One of the buggers that fell onto the pavers. The rest fell into the grass as they tried to fly away. A couple got away but I think I winged them.
So, go check your own hose reel to see if similar holes exist. I have another one just like this in the front of the house that got the spray treatment. Nothing came out of it I'm happy to say. As for the pain of the bite, when I went back in the house I did look around on the internet and found someone saying that WD-40 eased it. Might be goofy, but it worked... kind of.
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