It is not uncommon for people to spot wasp nests while outdoors. Many of the wasp nests that people encounter outdoors have been abandoned and will likely remain permanently inactive. Although wasps are known for sometimes reoccupying and even building additions onto old inactive nests that have been abandoned, such nests are usually located within obscured locations that provide wasps with continuous safe shelter where they are not likely to be disturbed by animals or humans. This is precisely why most wasp nests of enormous size are discovered within attics, sheds and crawl spaces. However, active wasp nests are often found by people working outdoor occupations, such as tree trimmers, landscapers and park service employees. In rare cases, people have found active nests on the ground that had fallen from trees. Most of the time, wasps will abandon a nest that has fallen from a tree, but not always. For example, one woman found a half-dried wasp nest on the ground while performing landscaping work near her home. The woman, Vivienne Hollis, believed the nest to be inactive, so she tried to dispose of the nest. Unfortunately, the nest was not inactive, and Hollis nearly died after sustaining more than 200 wasp stings.
Of the 200 wasp stings that have so far been counted on Hollis’s body, 40 were located on her head, 50 were located on each of her legs and another 50 were located on her midriff. As she dragged the nest across her yard it split open, releasing a swarm of wasps that immediately began stinging Hollis repeatedly. Luckily, Hollis’s daughter was nearby and called emergency services. Once paramedics arrived, it looked as though Hollis would not survive, as her blood pressure was 50 over 25. A helicopter was called in after paramedics found that she would not survive unless she reached a hospital within minutes. 64 year old Hollis managed to barely survive her attack.
Please make sure to call the professionals!
