Small RV, Big Drama: My war with a winged demon
I killed it. And I meant to do it. I told myself I was protecting the dog but who are we kidding. This flying demon from H-E-double hockey sticks was five feet, I mean inches long with a hornet’s body and a three-inch tail. It sounded like a B52 bomber bouncing off the walls of the fifth wheel which was my first clue that something was inside trying to kill me. The second clue was when it darkened the living room as it flew past the ceiling light. I froze for a second waiting to see its trajectory as well as if it was part of a gang. Nope- it was on a solo mission and trying to find a place to land to stage an imminent air assault. I had other plans. Keeping an eye to the sky, tracking my would-be assailant, I slowly crept over to the electric racket holding spot. Which is really the spot we wedged the bug elimination tennis rackets between the end table and couch for easy access from James’ recliner. I wrapped my fingers around the handle and flipped on the power switch. My months of pickleball training prepared me for this moment. Moving fast and swinging confidently at the ceiling, I knocked the creature to the ground. Hurrying over to where it landed, I was shocked to see the vampire insect didn’t stay down. Up it flew at me, zeroed in on the space between my eyeballs. My catlike reflexes died eight cats ago and I was left uttering unintelligible words in my shear panic to distance myself from the beast. The racket, still clutched in my vise grip, was wildly flailing in front of me protecting my face as I heard another- zap. Got it! Nope, this phoenix-like creature catapulted to the ground stunned but not out of the game.
Unfortunately, it landed near Kaia who was very interested with her ears forward and body curled up like a cat ready to pounce on a new toy. Not knowing the lethal status of the winged demon, I yelled for her to “stand clear! Mama will protect you!” Zap! Got it again. And yet again it went to the ground and flew back up toward the window, unwilling to admit defeat. This siege had gone on long enough and I was afraid reinforcements were being rallied so I laid the racket on the critter as it finally found a landing spot on the wall. I held my finger on the button zapping it as I carried it out the front door and shook it off by the fire pit. Running back in, for fear that its friends and family saw what I had done and were going to retaliate, I scanned our home for any more surprises. All was safe now.
Always ready and prepared, I held the racket just in case. Shortly thereafter James walked in, noticed me perched on the couch with racket in hand and curiously asked what I was up to. I relayed the harrowing story to him in vivid detail like I know he enjoys. His first question was if I got a picture of it. In no version of this ordeal did I think for a moment to pause and snap a pic. I couldn’t imagine hoping this flying fiend would “hold still” and “smile” or do an “us-ie”. No, I was fighting for my and Kaia’s life and I didn’t need a pic to remember what the creature looked like. My recollection was so good in fact that when I typed it into Google it immediately told me what it was- a harmless wasp called Ichneumonidae. Their long tales actually deposit eggs on, among other pests, harmful hornet larvae killing the hornets that can hurt people and pets. The one I most likely killed was actually not aggressive to humans.
There are times I wish I wasn’t curious. This new insight shamed me for harming it and not taking greater care in getting it out of the camper safely. I lumped this hornet in with the ones that have stung me in the past therefore all flying things that look like hornets are scary and harmful in my eyes.
In our travels, we have had the privilege to experience many different areas of our country, many different cultures, and many different types of people. We have learned not to lump them all together, yet, evidently the lesson hasn’t transcended species. I’ll be honest, next time an unknown winged or crawling creature decides to check out our camper for their potential new abode, I’m not sure I will take the time to snap a pic and investigate. However, I am now taking more time to learn about the “locals” before they interact with me in close quarters and will take better care of helping the friendly ones outside safely. Perhaps that is the greater lesson here.
