Fear as a Landscaper
Hello!
I know these posts are fairly common, so I’m not sure I can get more advice than what has already been offered. I am extremely afraid of bald faced hornets, Yellowjacket’s and other wasps to some extent but mostly the BFHs.
The problem really comes from owning my own landscaping company where I am the only employee 😬. I work by myself most of the time, and I have some rural clients in Oregon where I am more likely than not to see bald faced hornets.
I worked an awful construction job last summer that kicked this fear off after being trapped under a deck with hornets. I had no control over the situation and it created a fear of being alone with these insects. These issues are new to me this season, after multiple years of working around the same insects I’m suddenly terrified.
Overall, I love insects and all the little garden creatures (bald faced hornets included) but I get vomity if I see them and I have certain properties I dread working on. I rarely run machinery, I do a lot of pruning/planting/etc. that allows me to work slowly, but I would love advice. I want to enjoy the summer months of my amazing outdoor job, but I am suffering from fear. Any other self-employed people gotten over a similar fear?