Catch and Release Wasps

Today I found a wasp in our window trying to get out.  I try my best to preserve life, and that includes our pollinator and insect control friends.  Today's wasp happened to be a parasite wasp of some sort, possibly a spider parasite.  Via trial and error I have found the easiest way for all concerned to catch wasps and bees and release them unharmed (and me un-stung) outdoors.

I get a wide-mouth Mason jar and a piece of stiff chipboard. I then cup the wasp on the window and carefully slide the chipboard so that it covers the mouth of the jar while the wasp is inside the jar.  Make sure, of course, to keep the wasp from escaping or trapping its leg in the jar.  Invert the jar so that the chipboard is at the bottom and the jar is facing down. I hold the jar with both hands, one hand under the chipboard supporting it and the other firm on top. Insects instinctively fly upward in their attempts to escape, so it will fly to the top of the inside of the jar.

Take the jar outside, hold it facing upward and away from you, and remove the chipboard.  The wasp will likely fly out of the jar and away as fast as it can, without a backward glance.  Make sure it's a fairly quick process.  A prolonged process agitates the wasp.  If the window is in the sun, the wasp will be moving faster and may be harder to catch.  I have never been stung catching and releasing stinging insects this way.

The photo below shows the wasp in the jar after capture.  The wasp is small and dark and in the lower left hand part of the jar.

Raspberries

The past several weeks have been spent harvesting our homegrown red raspberries and wild black raspberries.  While it's fresh on my mind, for those who may want to grow and harvest them, here is my experience.

The photo below shows black raspberries in various stages of ripeness.  The darkest one, dark blue/purple and shiny, is the ripe one.  It should come off the plant with a slight tug (except for my group of plants whose berries require a big tug).  The berry should be firm.  If the berry is that same color but dull and soft, it is overripe and should not be harvested.  The other berries in the cluster will ripen in the subsequent several days.  The warmer the ambient temperature, the faster they will ripen.  What's really nice is if you find a whole cluster of ripe berries.  Then you can just gently tug them off into your hand or container.  

I try to pick in the shade and with a breeze, or it's too hot and/or the mosquitoes will eat me alive.

We are now harvesting the first bearing of the Prelude red raspberries. The darkest berries in the photo below are ready for picking.  They should come off the bush easily and should be firm.  Check for any moisture or insects in the berry's cup.  Pitch if there is any moisture, as it's over ripe.  If the berry is firm, you can shoo the bugs off.  If there are fruit fly larvae in the cup, don't keep it.  The larvae are white and maybe 2 mm long.

This next part applies to both black and red raspberries.  If it's too early in the day, or if the humidity is high, or if it just rained the prior day or overnight, the berries are wet.  Rain causes the berries to dissolve and ruins them.  It's best to wait several hours for the berries to dry before harvesting.  And even then, those berries may have a shorter shelf life.  Generally black raspberries harvested at the proper ripeness will last longer in the fridge than red raspberries.  I can get maybe 3 days out of the blacks before having to cook or freeze them.  I may get only 2 days out of the reds. Check the paper towel in the bottom of the container several times daily.  If there is berry staining, they are starting to go and should be used.  When I sell them, I tip out the berries into another container and remove the moldy berries, if any.

It is essential to store the berries in a container with perforated sides to allow them to breathe.  I prefer the plastic commercial containers, as they are stackable. The berries are incredibly fragile.  They should always be kept in the fridge.  If you are getting some but not all of the berries out of the container to use, don't touch the ones you're putting back with wet hands.  Any moisture on the berries will dramatically shorten their shelf life.

The berries will degrade if taken to the farmer's market, even packed on ice in the cooler.  I put ice packs on the bottom, then put a plastic bag on top to keep the berries dry, then layers of berries.  Keep the coolers in the shade at all times.

I have been picking for several hours daily for the past several weeks.  I check the forecast and if rain is forecast I try to pick as much as possible before the rain. Our berry patches are so large that one person (me) cannot possibly pick all the berries. Hopefully we can open this up to u-pick next year. 

Welcome Back!

 Welcome Back!

After a several-year hiatus, I am resuming the Rejoice and Be Glad In It blog. Thanks immensely to my bestie P for providing the link to the blog. It's a rainy windy spring day, good for coffee-drinking, evidently writing, or perhaps sitting reading on the couch with a cat or two on my lap.  Ahh, retirement!!

Today's thoughts of resuming the blog began when I realized that for the past several years, virtually all of the nature-writing I have eagerly read is subtly (or not) infused with liberal ideology counter to my current worldview.  Back in the day most of the nature writing I recall was simply that.  There was no overt or implied verbiage regarding the verboten topics of religion or politics and their respective rabbit trails.  This nature writing was friendly to any belief system.  Unfortunately, nowadays, at least in my world, apparently most stuff of any topic available to read is slanted one way or the other.  That upsets me.  Is it too much to ask to be open-minded to other viewpoints, explore them wisely without judgement, and politely respect one another?  There is often something useful to glean.  I admit, it is nearly impossible for me to continue reading articles lambasting my viewpoint, but also even lambasting the opposite viewpoint.  It's very embarrassing to read rude conservative articles.  How far do the authors think liberals would get in those articles before stopping reading in disgust?  Or are these articles meant to fan the flames of passion for whatever viewpoint, and make it easier for supporting readers to continue funding the article source?

I am going out on a limb here.  I used to be broadly conservative, then was broadly liberal for several exploratory decades, and am now once again generally conservative, with some exceptions.  My liberal friends may be upset at reading this.  My guess is that this is news to many of them.  True friends will remain my friend on the basis of commonalities and love/respect for each other, and overlook the differences.  My intent is definitely not to insult anyone but to give folks something to think about.

The nature and focus of future posts is to be determined.  I am waffling between continuing the prior thread of giving the Lord of the Universe (God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) the glory regarding His creation, or generic posts.  At this point I will probably have a little of each, time permitting.

If you wish to comment on this blog post, I will not entertain debate via the blog.  I am happy to discuss further privately.

Thanks for listening and for respecting my viewpoint and wishes.

And on a lighter note - happy spring!