TA TA THAIYYA

 TA TA THAIYYA

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

20/X/2022

 

            Wasp’s sting and sting badly. The place where they sting not only hurts but swells up so much that swelling takes place over the eyes, irrespective where they bite. Though it has been long since one got bitten, these days, we see them flying all over. Chances to encounter one nasty yellow-orangish wasp are quite high.

 

            It all started with the rain water drain across our building. Once we would finish watering the pots some water would accumulate and stand for a while before it evaporated. This became a watering joint for the birds and the bees, wasps included.

 

            These insects would fly down out of nowhere and land at the edge of the water. Then slowly walk towards it and dip their pincers into it. Within seconds they would take off to be replaced by another set of wasps. They all look similar, if the same ones were returning, one would never know. But return the did, to drink more. If the drain went dry, they would drink from the droplets stuck to the plants.

 

            As time went by one found out that these wasps were not as thirsty as we thought them to be. Besides quenching their thirst, they carried water to their nests, firstly to cool the hatching larvae and to make wax more malleable and add hexagonal structures to increase the size of their nests.

 

            As we started rearing fish on our roof in a tub. These wasps found a new source of water. Five or six of them would arrive simultaneously from dawn and continue till dusk, gathering water. Their to and fro cycle continued non-stop for months and still continues.

 

            One day. out of curiosity as these wasps took off, I tried to follow their flight path. One was not wearing spectacles so they would get blurred after a little distance. But then one made out the general line of direction they flew in. To correlate the same between the ground and the roof was a little difficult but nevertheless one did it.

 

            We have these nice mushroom canopied Ficus trees growing across the road. One day during the photography session one traced the line of movement of the wasps to one of those trees. Bang on, there was one huge ‘hornet’s nest’ stuck within the canopy of that tree.

 

            The fear of their sting had never left the mind. Being early morning, they were dull and sluggishly moving around the nest. However, they were a few which took off immediately like the Combat Air Patrol of the Air Force which scrambles on the slightest hint of the enemy,

 

            I froze, as there was no point in taking a panga unnecessarily. They dived and swished past my ears and returned with the same hum repeatedly, telling me to go away. There was no point telling them that I was a friend and meant no harm to them. More than ten of them were sentries and ready to fire at the slightest doubt.

 

            As I looked towards the wasp’s nest, there could be more than a thousand of them on a one-foot radius larvae laden nest. Quite a few of them were crawling on the branches, as if patrolling their territory. Then there were some which were coming and going.

 

            After a narrow escape, I tiptoed in reverse gear and hurried back home.

 

            It was feeding time for the fish, when I met the usual cluster of wasps floating on the tub collecting water. I told them that now I know where they live. But why were you so aggressive, I said. Don’t you recognise me. We did not even know that you visited, they said in unison. I was quite surprised.

 

            We are the workers, they said. Our duty is to collect water and bring it to the nest for further expansion and repairs. The soldiers are the ones you would have met. Oh! I see, I said. Those guys do not know who is a friend or who is a foe. If they think the nest is under threat, they sting.

 

            Even if we would have told those soldiers that you allow us to take water from your tub, they have strict orders to ‘shoot their stings at sight.’ We suggest you avoid going under that tree. I agreed straight away. I requested them not to bite anyone. They said, you don’t trouble us and we won’t trouble you, but you can thank us for keeping the spider and other insect population of your garden under check, besides pollinating the flowers. I was so grateful.

 

            I kept wondering why were they called ‘Tattiyya’ in Hindi. Then on a little thought I understood that if they sting, they make you do ‘Ta-Ta-Thaiyya’’. Isn’t it? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
© NOEL ELLIS