I don't mean to offend. It's probably going to happen anyway.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

I Hate Hymenopterids

While digging for a water feature in the yard Wednesday, I seem to have angered a nest of digging wasps. Of course, given the nature of the critters, first I knew of it was the classic flaming poker into the back of my left index finger. Through gloves no less. Little bugger.
In related news, finger stings HURT

On some level though, I can hardly blame them, considering I came out later and soaked their nest with wasp killer. It took some effort not to light it on fire too, tell the truth.

It did get me thinking though. I have had thankfully few interactions with the nasty things. One trend I have noticed is that, while I have a reasonably high pain tolerance, a sting from one of them is enough to get me to vacate the area. Not only that, but I always find myself fairly uneasy going back to the same areas again. It took effort to go back and spray the nest, and it was very much a hit and run type of operation.

Simply put, they are critters that have a really compelling defense mechanism. If it weren't for the miracles of modern chemistry, I may have had to abandon the project because of them. This has been unusually (or perhaps entirely typically) rambly, but I suppose the dual point to this is that first off, hymenopterids are nasty but effective little things, and I love living in the modern era.



In other news, I spent today cleaning guns. I detail stripped my Enfield for the first time, and found a few strands of grease caked grass or other plant matter. A part of me has to wonder whether it's been there since wwii.

I also have a bit of an advice bleg. I'm looking to replace the glass that came with my 700. It's really not bad glass, with nice crisp images. My main complaints though are the reticle and the eye relief. I have to creep uncomfortably close on the scope to get the image, which I am none to happy with. (somewhere in the 2-3" range on a .308) Any suggestions for a scope in the 4-16x range with a bit longer eye relief and a price that is acceptable to a poor college student budget?

2 comments:

  1. I seem to have reached a truce with the paper wasps that have set up shop on one of my roses just inches from the hose spigot. My hand remains unstung and they have not been lit on fire. As a bonus, there are no caterpillars on my tomatoes.
    I am unsure how one goes about forming a truce with such creatures, but it seems I have accidentally succeeded.

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  2. As far as optics, look at anything offered by Konus. They are Japanese optics, but are very well made and very durable, while also very affordable.
    I believe it was the M31 I was looking at to put on my .50 and I'd bet it would work well for your 700.

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