So we went on a little hike on one of our favorite trails: 5 kids from 2 to 12, 3 adults. Caitlyn, who is 10, was ahead when she suddenly screamed, turned, and ran towards us, having been stung on the butt. She's allergic, so she was pretty terrified. Then little Josie, who was on my shoulders, screamed and so did my wife, Toni. Toni quickly reversed direction and shouted RUN!! And headed back to the car. The dog yelped as he got stung. My wife shrieked that she was getting multiple stings.
Anne and I took a few seconds to react because we hadn't seen a swarm of wasps in California before on a popular trail. But then I noticed them coming out of the ground on the trail. We all started running as fast as we could while the wasps pursued us. Anne was kicking them off my legs and brushing a dozen or so off my back as we ran and I was doing the same for her and the little kids.
The wasps chased us the whole half mile and into the car, and stung us in the car. I got six stings. This is from a sting on the back of my bicep that caused swelling down almost to my watch band:
The kids say it's as if I have elephantiasis. This is from one that tagged my lip a year or two ago, and I thought it indicated I was allergic, but my wife got similar swelling from her six stings as I did:
π That sting was from a single (wasp? bee?) while I was riding my bike. I didn't know about wasps like these that pursue and swarm you as you run down the trail.
How quickly and unexpectedly things change when you least expect it.