Close One

I was out digging today.  Taking ferns from one house, where they are unwelcome to another, where they are favored.  They were taking over the whole garden where I was snatching them from which is why they had to go.  The place I was taking them to has a very steep bank that is a pain in the butt to tend where they could take over to their little ferny heart’s desire.

Sounds like a good plan, right?  It was.  It still is.  However the plan has hit a bit of a snag.  I was happily digging away, the first of two huge boxes nearly full when I worked my away around to the back of the yucca that was mostly hidden and planted the blade of the shovel right into a yellow jacket nest.

Shovel went flying one way, me the other, making some sort of horrified noise I’m sure since the dog that was lounging under a nearby lilac bush poked his head out.  He didn’t get any further because I instantly yelled no and stay at him so he didn’t stick his nose into the nest.  Poor creature will probably be traumatized for life and hide from me from now on since he was still shaking half an hour later when I finally managed to coax him out to go inside.

Amazingly I didn’t get stung.  I have no clue how I managed not to.  I should have been.  There were many, many, many very angry yellow jackets swarming when I worked up the nerve to inch closer and drag the box of ferns to safety.  I got it!  Tomorrow, that half of the ferns will be relocated to their new home where I’m sure they will thrive.

The other half of the ferns I intended on moving?  For now, they can stay put as I suspect the yellow jackets are waiting to ambush me.  Perhaps I will eventually return and dig most of them out from the other direction.  Perhaps.  Does anyone know, do yellow jackets routinely have more than one opening to their nest?