Of hornets and heights

The front-page news article (October 18), in connection with the fracas that the oriental hornets have brought about on the local honey production, prompts me to share my experience to have a hornet’s nest removed from our home.

Some weeks ago, we noticed an unusually high presence of hornets in the front garden, making it uneasy to move about because of the obvious physical danger. Soon enough, we discovered a hornet’s nest lodged in a first-floor room ventilator.

Having been advised to get professionals to have it removed, we contacted a pest control company. We got a quotation of between €90 and €140 depending on what it takes. Initially, I considered this somewhat steep but then I was self-convinced that these operators have to invest in safety equipment, including protective clothing, and maybe use special professional chemicals.

Expanding foam was used to seal the ventilator.

My perception could not be more distant from the actual practice. The foreign employee who called to remove the nest had no protection attire whatsoever. He was in short sleeves. No helmet, no goggles or face mask, let alone protective overalls, similar to those worn by beekeepers.

He was not provided with long rubber gloves even though he had to work through power cables. Power lines are nowadays sheathed but the joints servicing the houses may not be. Electric shock is, more often than not, unforgiving.

Although I had made a step-ladder available to work safely, despite my insistence to use it, he was on the open stone balcony ledge in no time. Speed before safety.

Very unfortunately and often tragically, we are witnessing workmen falling from heights on almost a weekly basis. Where is the OHSA? Are the pest control companies subject to occupational safety rules and regulations by the OHSA?

The nest was sprayed with an aerosol can for about 10 seconds. I later discovered that this insecticide is available in local chain supermarkets for €4.99 a can and is enough to tackle 15 to 20 nests. The nest and dead hornets were summarily disposed of in a plastic bag and the ventilator sealed with expanding foam.

The whole operation lasted not more than 15 minutes

Victor Pisani – Santa Luċija

Dickens the visionary for 2022

Charles Dickens, the English author, published his A Tale of Two Cities in 1859. The first chapter of this historical novel makes me think that he was a visionary for our times. It reads:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

If he were still living in 2022, I doubt very much if he would change one word or one comma to apply it to our turbulent times.

Joseph Cachia – St Paul’s Bay

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