Out for a walk

These folks were hiding under 10 years of Ivy and they have kindly decided that they like the new surroundings enough to hang out for a bit. They will get some kind of ground cover in the spring but they did get the wall behind them repaired late this last summer and I had the ground bees(Yellow Jackets) removed from their environs just before that as my workman/partner decided that the bees didn't seem amenable to having others on their turf. I had pulled the Ivy down in March and they slept through that, but they did not sleep through my digging up these beds. I had never had a bee sting before this last summer, but I had 5 this year. I had 4 nests in the yard. I was able to get rid of 2 myself, but the 3rd and 4th were in places that I couldn't easily see with out having to move either junipers or debris from over the nests. I called Wally, a local exterminator, and he cheerfully came out on a sweltering august day, put on a bee suit and promised me revenge.

Now I don't usually use chemicals in my garden, I haven't used herbicides to get rid of my weeds or the brambles. I head out once or twice a week to dig up anything that must go and I try to use organic means when possible. But I have to tell you. Knowing that it was safe to head out and get rid of the junipers on the corner of the street and to dig up this shady bed to remove the Ivy that was destroying my deck. Wonderful.

Wonder when the Yellow jacket traps go on sale in the spring.