Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Sting
























Queen Anne's Lace are in bloom everywhere! So I stopped to take some pictures. I know they are considered weeds, but when you look closely, they are so delicate and lacey. And see how the buds are woven all around like little baskets? It is intricate and fascinating. They are descended from carrots, and called Wild Carrot Plants. The roots are edible, but don't try it. This plant looks just like the deadly Water Hemlock. Speaking of deadly, look what I found on the plant. I got my macro lens right on top of this flying insect to take these pictures. I couldn't see very well because of the sun, and I figured it was just a harmless sweat bee or something. When I got back in the car and looked at my pictures, I couldn't believe what I'd photographed. A European Paper Wasp! Some people mistake them for yellow yackets. My husband couldn't believe I'd been so foolhardy. But I was very lucky, because these wasps are the least aggressive of all wasps, and usually won't sting unless you mess with their nest. Have you ever taken photos of anything that put you in danger? Here is something that has completly lost it's sting, thanks to one man.

"Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?...But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
1 Cor.15: 54,58





















21 comments:

Reanaclaire said...

oooooh.. i run away when i see wasps or bees..whatever the difference.. esp those giant ones.. at times one will fly into my room and i make sure it goes out the same way it comes in.. :p

Kilauea Poetry said...

Hey, thanks for asking..I did have an awful week! ha ha. Gosh, I couldn't even do my favorite thing! lol)). Hopefully things will return to normal. Would you believe (I had a feeling) they never sent the results because we needed to pay for them first! I suspected something and called. They are pretty far, which is why we chose to have them mailed. Anyway, hopefully this week.
Nice job..I think the angle and the shadows are all very nice. This is pretty..I agree, my husband will weed wack around this so called weed, known as a root beer plant because the roots smell just like root beer. It's lacy and white but not as full. Anyway, that scripture was on my mind today. The wasp..terrific shots. There is a wasp that is supposed to actually be benificial in that it goes after pests that ruin your foilege? I'd have to do a search. Interesting post Ginny!

Dawning Inspiration said...

Amen to being saved from "the sting!"

Those are lovely - Queen Anne's lace - not sure if we have any of that here... I'll have to keep an eye out - and for those waspy things! ;o)

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I am impressed by your knowledge of different bees! I love queen Anne's Lace too.

From the Kitchen said...

The "sting"? At first I thought you had been arrested! Instead, great photos. I've recently seen Queen Anne's Lace on the roadside around here. It mingles with Chickory--just like in Virginia. Makes me homesick!!

Best,
Bonnie

Anonymous said...

a weed or no weed, I think its beautiful

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Seems like I always see something new and different when I photograph something --especially if it's a macro... The close-ups show much more detail than my eyes can first see....

I'm afraid of wasps ---and we have had them trying to build nests above our front porch... So far, we've caught them just as they first begin..

I had forgotten that Queen Anne's Lace comes from carrots... I remember learning that one time---but had totally forgotten it... Thanks for the reminder.

Great pictures of the 'lace' and the BEES.

Hugs,
Betsy

Together We Save said...

I had no idea Queen Anne's lace come from carrots. That is very interesting. Thanks for all your concern yesterday. I am feeling better today.

Remington said...

Beautiful pics!

DawnTreader said...

Pretty name for it, Queen Anne's Lace. In my Flora there are five pages full of similar-looking white wild flowers, in nature I can't tell them apart.

Stephanie V said...

I love Queen Anne's lace. We saw so much of it on a trip to Nova Scotia & PEI. Of course, I brought back some seeds - our B&B host thought we were nuts! They grew for a while in our garden and then seemed to die out.

Brave you - getting up close and personal with a wasp. Would you have done it if you'd known? Think what a fab photo you'd have missed.

S. Etole said...

Queen Anne's lace is blooming here, too, in the ditches and along the road. It is so delicate and pretty.

MadSnapper said...

you are leaving me behind in your rejuvenation sister C.L. I am terrified of all wasps/bees and anything that flies and has stingers. this is one shot i will never have. good girl brave girl keep on rejuvenating..

MadSnapper said...

forgot to mention how beautiful your weed is and I would leave it alone to. it is a flower to me not a weed. I have always liked them

Anonymous said...

Ginny, I am sending you an invite to Jacobs blog, his blog is A Pilgrims Journey.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue ι™ˆζ΄ι›ͺ said...

Ginny,

you can grow them either in a big and deep pot or in a bed. There are less weeds if you grow them in a pot. For a bed, You deep a trench and cover with 8 inch of dirt and compost.


This is a pretty photo of the Queen Anne lace. I have a little plant at the front of my driveway. My photos have been blurred, Thanks for a lovely photo.

Unknown said...

Oh wow! Well... I take lots of bear pictures but I try not to get close enough to use the macro lens. ;o)

This Queen Anne's Lace is gorgeous! I love the baskets!!!

SquirrelQueen said...

Beautiful shot Ginny, the Queen Anne's Lace is just beginning to bloom here. I didn't realize it was in the carrot family.

Very cool macro photo of the paper wasp. I will get within a centimeter of a bee but when it comes to wasp I give them lots of space. A yellow jacket sting put me in the emergency room years ago. We have lots of yellow jackets here and they are very aggressive.

George said...

Your pictures of the Queen Anne's Lace are beautiful. I'm glad you didn't get stung getting them.

What Karen Sees said...

I also love Queen Anne's lace, and all the information is great. Luckily you didn't get stung, and I would have just assumed it was a wasp!

srp said...

Somehow, I had thought this was yarrow, although the yarrow I have did not grow this tall. The wildflower and butterfly garden at Norfolk Botanical has a lot of this and I love it. I particularly love the intricate infrastructure of the flower before the blooms open. Just lovely! As for the insects... I try to stay away from the spiders and such... (makes me shiver to think of them)

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