Posted by Larry@Hood Canal on Saturday, November 18, 2006 at 9:20AM :
Driving down the road yeseterday in my old '67 W200, one eye one the defroster opening on the dashboard, I realized that I'd yet to read a forum topic here regarding a special seasonal natural event, so dear in the life of this old Dodge pickup driver. As regular as the turning of the Big-Leaf Maples, and the passing through of the migrating Varied Thrush, it's 'Giant Yellow Jackets From The Defroster' season.
It first started years ago when I was driving the 67 to Seattle one stormy day to pick up some freight. As I was driving down the packed, rain swept interstate, I noticed with great alarm a huge fat yellow jacket emerging from the defroster vent right in front of my face. He crawled out, faced me, and started warming up his wings. He'd obviously just been woken up out of his long winter nap by the warm air & motion, and he wasn't real happy about it. The clock was running, fear and andrenaline were running free. It was him or me...right now! A few wild swings with my trusty hat, and he fell into the pile of rags on the passenger floor, hopefully dead. Whew! Close call! But he wasn't alone. Over the course of the next 30 minutes, about 6 more of them repeated the process, one at a time. By the time I got to the freight terminal, I was so thoroughly traumatized I almost took a cab home.
The yellow jackets & I are sworn enemies around here with an uneasy truce. I'll respect their right to exist as long as they stay back away from around or on the house (My old neighbor had them chase him and his Lab down into the bay. He came back with his 12 guage and blew the nest off the side of his porch). I think I've finally got the Dodge-yellow jacket connection figured out. In October, the big ones that hatched in the spring look for a place to hole-up for the winter. The outside vent grill at the base of the windshield attracts them. They crawl into the cowl vent, then right up into the unscreened heater intake. Perfect spot for 'em. Just a short hike then out the defroster and into the warm cab with me. Just this year I've finally started covering up the cowl vent with an old sweatshirt when the truck is parked at home. So far, so good. But you can bet one eye is still firmly fixed on that dashboard...
Anybody else ever experience this thrilling event?
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