Cars don't seem to attract them and I have yet to have one try to fly in or even really get close.
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ORLY? Read on...
IJWTS I had a completely new experience in the woods yesterday.
I was ground-truthing some road networks on a tract up in the hilly country, and came upon a water hole in the road. Now, seeing as how I about buried the trusty Tacoma in a mud hole last week (and had to hike out to find a kind soul for a tow), I've taken to getting out and testing how deep the water is before charging on through. The hole was definitely within the Tacoma hydro specs, so I went back to the truck.
As I was getting in I noticed a strong buzzing in my ears. Then a sharp stinging pain on my arm. And another. Now, if you've spent any time in the woods, and you suddenly hear buzzing and feel sharp pain, you can pretty much figure there's bees or hornets or yellowjackets nearby. So, I go tearing off down the road, swatting at the little bastards, getting only 4 stings.
About 75 feet from the truck, I look back and see the Tacoma in a veritable cloud of pissed off yellowjackets. I also see my driver's window open. And my radio blaring away. And my engine running. Did I mention the cloud of yellowjackets?
Shit. The truck is running, and the heat and noise are agitating the buggers. I sneak back to the truck and see that the nest is literally 2 feet from my truck (in the ground, yellowjackets like subterrainian nests), and looks chewed up around the hole, as if a raccoon or something had been digging at it. I also see that many of the bugs had decided that there must be something *inside* the truck that's a threat.
So. The situation is this: Running truck, blaring radio, 3 zillion pissed off yellowjackets, me, and 5 miles to a public highway. Just what am I going to do? First step is to shut down the truck. Thankfully the passenger door was unlocked, so I sneak back, ease the door open, dart in and yank the keys out of the ignition, and haul ass down the road.
After 15 minutes or so the lack of further signs of life from the truck result in a high degree of calming of the yellowjackets. Now, all the ones that were outside buzzing around have pretty much gone back to nest patrol; alert but not flying around all pissed off. Of course, the open window means that bunches are inside. I sneak up and start counting, giving up at 50. Now I've got 50 plus fairly calm yellowjackets in the cab of my truck. I figure the next step is to get the drivers window up so no more will fly in, which I accomplish with no additional stings.
OK. Now, how am I gonna get 'em out of the truck? Ah HA! sez I. Bug spray in the toolbox! So, I stealthily open the toolbox, get my can of Cutter's out, gingerly open the passenger door, pop the seat back, and let loose with the spray (they were all congregated on the inside rear window). Good plan, but before you try this at home make sure you've got some *spray* left in your can of *bug spray*. "Pshhhht.....". Uh oh, set a new record for the 50 foot dash.
It must have had some effect, because now there's only 15 or so hanging out on the glass. I can handle them, particularly since they're all calmed down now, so I get some work gloves out of the toolbox and carefully start squishing them in groups of 4 or 5 until they're all puddled jelly on my window. I'm finally able to get in the passenger side, jump the gearshift, get behind the wheel, and move the truck for a more careful yellowjacket inspection. All clear! And shoot, it only took an hour and a half to become bug free!
The moral of this story is, of course, to LOOK outside your window before opening the door. And CLOSE your window before testing the depth of your local mud hole. And maybe TURN OFF your engine (not to mention the radio) before doing so. Oh yeah, make sure your bug spray that actually HAS SOMETHING IN IT.