Thursday, June 27, 2019

"Bee Stings, Bug Zappers, and Bacteria"


Sitting on an old school bus sit out under the garage at the in-laws, I was moved by the aerial activity of flying wasps.  No, the wasps were not my problem.  It was the husband of my niece and my father-in-law who were trying to kill the flying creatures of pain and death.  With each swat of the broom or the swing of a swatter, the intensity of the angered wasps made me feel uncomfortable.

Wasp stings are not my favorite pass time at the in-laws although I have received some stinging remarks from the in-laws and their extended family over the last forty plus at these family Fourth of July family reunions and picnic outings. I have had numerous stings from bees, fleas, horse flies, sheep flies, yellow jackets, and red wasps.  I worried that someone who is allergic might have been stung.  I read and I heard that bee stings are good for arthritis.  I do not have allergic reactions, but I do have arthritis.

Just the other day I was weed eating a fence row when I thought I was having a severe attack of gout or sharp pain of arthritis in my right ankle.  My thoughts were, “What I have been eating to have the gout?” I thought maybe I lucked out and it would be just pain from a wrong step on the unlevel ground.  After two or three sharp pains, I decided to take a look at my ankle.  Is that a man thing ignoring pain?

I raised my pants leg and discovered a yellow jacket buried deep into my ankle.  To my surprise, I was in a yellow jacket nest and received only one dose of arthritic medicine.  Looking back, I have mixed emotions.  I am glad I had the pain of just one sting, or sad for just a small dose of painkiller?  The ankle did feel better after the swelling subsided.

A week or two before the yellow jacket arthritic treatment, I was attacked by a red wasp.  He flew into my sleeveless shirt and stung my chest in that tender spot between the armpit and the, well you know, the chest.  By the way, I do not have arthritis there.

Getting back to the interruption of my leisure moment and my time of meditation in preparation of spending the Fourth of July with the in-laws, I sat entertained, but concerned, at the mishaps of trying to hit flying wasps.

Moments before the aerial display, my nephew-in-law had spayed a single nest with two wasps with insect killer.  He knocked down the nest and secured our safety by crushing the two dead wasps with his foot.

After quick survey of the ceiling of the garage, the home base of the Kamikaze wasps was located.  As with the concealment of any enemy station, the wasps had planted a nest in the electrical discharge insect control system.  Your know, a “Bug Zapper.”  The device attracts and kills flying insects that are attracted by light.  A light source attracts the insects where they are electrocuted by touching two wires with a high voltage between them.  The name “zapper” come the zap sound produced when an insect is electrocuted.

Research shows that the process of electrocution spreads a mist containing insect parts up to seven feet.  Bacteria and viruses that can be inhaled by contaminated air around the bug zapper, or settle on the food of people eating near the device.  Another drawback is the traps are not effective at killing biting insects.  Many harmless and beneficial insects are electrocuted.  Wikipedia says, “A study over a summer found that 13,789 insects were killed, of which 31 were biting insects.”  It makes me wonder if the red wasps took advantage of the design flaw and build their nest at night during the time harmless and beneficial bugs were zapped.

I think it may have been because there was no power to the bug zapper.  No electricity, no electrocution.  No power because the power source was broken.

I know by now you are wondering where is the spiritual connection.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also (Matthew 13:24-26 KJV).



Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.  And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.  Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.  And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.  Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.  Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:15-21 KJV).

.3

No comments:

Post a Comment