caercaveral

I'm still not sure how the wasp got inside the house. I've systematically plugged all the holes I can find, but still I have to keep a handy newspaper around to slay the buggers. Ah well. Regardless, a few days ago one got in. After many frantic minutes I managed to kill her, slicing her head clean off at the neck as she crawled over the lip of the counter. Success!

Except the thing was still alive.

Over the next hour, I got to watch the headless body crawl across the kitchen counter, waving its abdomen around in an alarming manner. Other behaviors I observed from the shambling corpse:

1) The ability to sense gravity. When presented with a slope (my handy newspaper roll) it would invariably try to go uphill.
2) On four different occasions it managed to right itself after falling onto its back.(!) And, what truly startled me as I watched from only inches away,
3) Flight. That's right, the body managed to get into the air. Only for a few seconds/inches, sure, but it was right towards my face. I almost toppled over onto the floor.

Who goes to the trouble of creating undead insects these days? I mean, the cost of materials alone....

The hurried rental of environment-destroying trucks, the loading, unloading, the eating of tasty snacks; now various stacks of boxes and bags await my attentions in the new apartment back in Pittsburgh. Many thanks to my new housemate wynddom and to the burghbadger for their gracious assistance. I apologize to you both for demolishing your chances at the $10 million "When the fuck will he get here?" pool, leaving you with only a piece of gum each as a consolation prize.

Now if the rental company had only given me all the keys I need, I'd be set. Ah well. I suppose you can't expect a mostly seat-of-the-pants life relocation to go completely smoothly.