For the past few days, I couldn’t shake off a disturbing feeling: strange noises were coming from the attic. Sometimes a faint rustle, sometimes a barely audible crackling, as if someone was moving slowly in the dark. Every time I went up, I found nothing. 

Today, it happened again. But this time, the sound was more persistent, louder… and closer. I grabbed a flashlight and slowly went up. The attic was stuffy, with a strange smell – sweetish and unpleasant. Suddenly, I saw it: right on the ceiling, near the wall, hung a huge gray-yellow growth, as if made of paper, with curious circular layers. That was exactly where the sounds were coming from.

I stepped closer, shone the flashlight on the strange object, and noticed that something inside was moving.  When I realized what it was, I ran out of the attic in panic.  Be careful if you see something like this in your home. I explained the details in the first comment  

I didn’t understand what it was. My heart was pounding, blood was rushing in my ears. I took a few steps closer, and in the beam of the flashlight, something inside that strange mass shifted.

A sharp, angry buzzing sounded. I turned around and bolted out of the house.

Luckily, nothing happened to me. But the fear I felt was almost primal.

Later, it turned out: it was a wasp nest.

Wasps are extremely dangerous insects. Their stings are not only painful but can also cause a severe allergic reaction, even anaphylactic shock. And I’m allergic to them.

Unlike bees, wasps can sting multiple times, and when threatened, they act together, attacking as a swarm. If you stumble upon such a nest, you could receive dozens or even hundreds of stings in just a few minutes.

Most often, wasps build their nests in sheltered places – under roofs, in attics, in wall cavities, or in abandoned buildings.

They are attracted by warmth, dryness, and easy access to food. Most likely, these wasps entered at the start of summer, and I simply hadn’t noticed their presence… until it was too late