GETTING UPSET OVER A WASP???

[Flavourofthemonth123]

So I was over at a friend's house today with our two LO's this afternoon for a lil New Year's celebration (mostly for them, I find new years a bit naff). We were sitting there and all of a sudden a wasp flew at her child (I was mostly shocked to see one in December!) I swatted it down on the floor and stepped on the bastard (it was on the kitchen tiles, so no squishy bug remains mushed into the carpet.) She was a little bit upset that I squashed the wasp in front of her child, saying she doesn't condone killing bugs. I said that a wasp is different from a spider or a snail because they can sting the LO's (I also squash other bugs lol but that's not the point!)

It wasn't a huge deal but I was just surprised at her reaction! Am I alone in thinking that getting upset over a dead wasp is a bit unreasonable? If there was one hoovering around your little one would you hesitate to smoosh him??

No, they won’t become serial killers.

@frazzled, no of course they won’t. However teaching kids a respect for all life is a good thing. Try it!

I'd have killed it too, I'm allergic to wasps. My OH is normally very protective of all bugs and mini beasts but the wasp would have been done for by him as well.

I wouldn’t have killed it. I don’t like casual killing of things. And I don’t like hysterical reactions to bugs etc it just teaches children to freak out which is much riskier than staying calm!

I have mouse traps in garage. So I’m a much worse person than you.

I used to kill wasps until I discovered they were valuable pollinators and predators so now I move them on. I appreciate that in December they should have died off anyway and aren’t contributing much but I don’t think it is setting a good example to kill them.

I move spiders and shoo bees. Wasps are spawn of the devil, evil little buggers that deserve to be smooshed. I particularly believe this after one killed my friends' dog. I would have squashed it too.

Ah well glad I'm not alone in the "squash the bastard" camp, and in the use of the word "smooshing" camp too

I'm fine with spiders and generally won't harm any insects in their space, but I'm afraid that in my house I will kill wasps, mice, (clothes) moths and flies.

If the queen had chosen my shed to kip in, maybe she would have been more lucky.

I was once sitting reading the paper and a wasp flew straight in the window, stung me and flew out again. It was like some kind of assassin wasp carrying out a hit. I never even moved let alone panicked. It really bloody hurt! I wonder if it was revenge for a wasp I once killed.
I still wouldn't have killed it, they are very important to the eco system as pollinators and predators. If put outside, it probably would have crawled back into a hidey hole to hibernate for the winter.
I don't think it's sets a good example for kids to randomly kill something that means you no harm although I happily murder nits. Bloodsucking little fuckers!

My neighbor decided to have bee hives and got a vicious queen who left the hive to live onvhet own with her minions. One of them stung me for no reason and I swelled up like a balloon. A other found its way to our attic and, yes, I was minding my own business and ZAM! That time I ended up at Dr and now must have a allergy pen.

I happily host their mild mannered cousins, but the evil rebels get no quarter from me.

She was unsympathetic to me but I notice all of her hives are gone now. I hope she finally got the point!

I still see the renegades about.

I think people can be selective/hypocritical about which living creatures can justifiably be killed. I used to work with someone who was very saintly when it came to wasps - if one came into the workplace it was all “oh we can’t kill it!”. At a later time she was unashamedly chatting about pro fox-hunting (you know, that disgusting vicious blood sport) claiming that foxes were evil and therefore should meet a painful and prolonged death I’m in the squishing wasps team for what its worth.

Are wasps an endangered species in great Britain? Otherwise, why are they allowed to fly around your home and treated as an invasive species? Are they allowed to build nests over your door entrances or on your patios? These things can be dangerous especially to people that have life threatening reactions to their sting. Kill them before they kill you..

I would't kill a wasp in the house, I would try and catch it in a piece of cloth, like a tea towel etc, and put it outside.They usually go towards a window,and then you can catch them easily..

Jasmine, I am also allergic to wasp stings (as I said before). Had to go to hospital last time I was stung. I still would not kill a wasp.

I am saddened by the attitude of many on this thread. Some insects may have to be killed such as bed bugs and head lice but to just kill wasps, bees, spiders etc because you don't like them is horrible.

If I had head lice (unlikely as I don't have children) I would kill them but would still feel guilty.

Winter wasps in the house are queens. I would kill them in the basis I don’t want it starting a nest in my house. Wasps are nasty, sting for no reason and kill bees. Bees are nice and I would never kill a bee. Hornets and wasps are different and I have no guilt killing them.

In general I don’t kill insects, house spiders are welcome, flies and bees get directed out the window. Wasps get the chance to leave through a window and then killed if they refuse to go.

I don't kill anything I'm terrified of spiders but would never hurt 1 and it does piss me off when people kill things to be honest. I'm not precious just think everything has a right to a life apart from paedophiles or people cruel to children or animals so squish them instead

It would have pissed me off!

@lolipop44 somehow I think there'd be fewer objections to squishing a pedophile like a bug

Yes pedophile squishing I'm behind 100%

You did not set a good example to your dc at all.yes ubu