AFTER THE RAIN ...

 

The morning after a rain is so lovely. I am attracted to the glistening raindrops still hugging the plants and flowers ...

and decorating the spider webs.

Puddles kept the birds happy, splashing away and gathering food!

I watched as many insects drank from the raindrops and bathed themselves.

I watched as the yellowjackets continued their work, stripping my deck of wood to make their nests. And gathering mud to help glue their nests together.

Note the fly ...

 As I went to snap a second picture of this fly, a yellowjacket made off with it. Though they do not usually feed on other insects themselves, they do chew them up to feed to their larvae which thrive on proteins (insects and meat). The larvae then excrete a sweet, sugary substance the adult yellowjackets relish, as their diet consists of sugars and carbohydrates. This exchange among the adults and larvae is known as trophallaxis  (your science trivia of the day...ha!). As summer nears an end, the larvae reduce the amount of sugar in their excretions, making it not enough to meet the adult's requirements, and this is why you see them harrassing picnickers ... wanting soda and fruit ... anything sweet.

Every drop of rain radiates its own beauty.

 

 

 

MELLOW FOR YELLOW

We so often fear what we do not understand. I have lived in close proximity of yellowjackets for many, many years and have developed an appreciation for them. Not only do I find them stunningly beautiful, their aggressive behaviors are not so fearful once you take the time to understand them. I often sit side by side these little creatures when I am taking in the sights and sounds of the morning, connecting to Creator. I give them their space, and they give me mine. The yellowjackets are no different than we are. They can be a notable nuisance in destroying woodwork as they strip and chew up wood to make the paper for their nests.

But how many of us 2 leggeds can say that we have set up our own homes without destroying at least something? How many of us 2 leggeds would not become aggressive in our nature when we felt our homes and families threatened? The yellowjackets are no different than we are in this. And though care needs to be taken in their presence (as with any wild creature), they do serve a purpose, as they are predatory on other pest insects and can significantly keep the populations of these down. So everything has a place in the circle of life and a purpose. And I have learned to appreciate the beauty of the life around me, by observing their behaviors and learning their individual protocols. The presence of the yellowjacket is a reminder to me of the strength, care and devotion we have for our loved ones and the need to defend those very things. Life really is full of endless wonder and beauty, if we take the time to connect to it.