There are some things I can put up with and some things I can’t. For one, I do not cotton to bugs, especially the eight-legged kind. It’s a true phobia that I admit but deal with.

Fortunately this summer, I have not spied many of the insects that bother me the most. I have been told they are waiting for cooler weather to attempt to enter my domain. In the coming months, I will be on the lookout for spiders and stink bugs.

However, summertime brings its own pests. A housefly has managed to outlive its supposed lifespan and has been torturing us for days. I am determined to suck it up in the vacuum if I can catch it.

There have been some interesting goings-on on the outside of the bedroom window. There is an industrious small group of wasps that are attempting to build a nest on the corner of the window. I have been watching the progress of these insects with some interest as they seem to work both day and night.

My first instinct is to go outside with a broom and knock the nest down. I keep telling myself that, either way this whole scenario cannot end well for me or the wasps. I have seen large wasp nests hanging from trees or the eves of buildings. They are magnificent works of art in the world of nature. However, they also can be dangerous and deadly to anyone who tangles with the winged clan.

I have seen firsthand how dedicated these little creatures can be. Last year, they tried to build nests in the corner of the garage door. However, we kept knocking down those tiny shells before they could get a decent head start. We could not take a chance of someone getting stung by wasps as they come and go from the garage.

Evidently the wasps moved on and decided to try the back side of the house. Their progress will be monitored until one of us has had enough. I understand wasp nests can grow to the size of a regulation football and beyond. As they grow, so does the buzzing noise coming from inside the nest. That could be annoying for sure.

I know summer is winding down. The lightning bugs are quite active now.

You can hear the whining voices of a few lonesome cicadas. The hummingbirds are in a nightly feeding frenzy as if they know it won’t be too long before they must make their trek southward to warmer climates.

After such a hot summer, a cool autumn evening will be a welcome change in a few months. Until then, I will continue to monitor Mother Nature’s visitors and be ready for whatever comes to the door.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hzieglert@theintelligencer.net.