There are very few things in Big Canoe that carry the color white. Clouds and white caps on Lake Petit are exceptions. But so are signs warning of wasps on our trails. Face it, a big white sign does catch your eye.
Some wasp hives can be quite large and menacing. Big Canoe’s Trails Committee monitors trees and structures for signs of wasps setting up housekeeping.
When a hive is located, plans are made to get rid of it asap. Because a wasp bite can become deadly, those white signs draw attention to danger ahead. They’re placed by the Trails Committee as warnings. Once the hive is removed, the sign comes down and nature’s muted colors once again rule.
While looking up for a nest of wasps is prudent, don’t forget to look down too. Some smaller wasps are bottom dwellers, meaning they build hives on the ground. Watch out for those suckers, they have a nasty sting and can turn your legs into red mounds of pain.
While talking about ground critters, we all know about copperheads. This is their breeding season and babies abound. Those tiny things are filled with venom and instinctively know how to use it.
When walking about, if you happen to catch a whiff of cucumber of all things, be alert. That’s the odor a copperhead gives off when disturbed. You might be the disturbee.
Chances are you’ll never get bothered by nature’s fierce trail stalkers but it’s always good to stay alert and aware.
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