The bugs were awful this year. It was too hot.
With the heat came mosquitoes. In the past I have been the last person on the “bite” list. It is like the bears. You don’t have outrun the bear, just one of the other people with you. This year I was promoted to tasty morsel #1. Lots and lots of bites. I didn’t get any diseases unless “cranky” has been promoted to a disease.
Ants started early. They came marching in. I escorted them out and threatened to kill the queen (if I could find her).
We had an assortment of locusts, wasps and bees. I am tolerant as long as they pollinate my tomatoes. They are not allowed to bite me because that is a trip for a steroid shot. That’s for me, not the bug.
Fruit flies were the worst. They multiplied like…well…fruit flies. We could have done genetic testing experiments considering how horny those flies were. I swear they did it in my beer.
There were gnats or no see-ums. Awful!
Then there was the tick. That was a post in itself. Click here if you missed it.
Our winter was mild and the naysayers and doomsday people said the bugs would be bad. I hate when they are right. I am one of those upbeat idiots who keeps thinking the glass is half full. (It was! With fruit flies!)
We are now into the invasion of the stink bugs and spiders who are looking for a warm place to winter. I left out brochures on Florida but they weren’t having any of that. I swear I saw them moving a futon into the garage along with a beer keg.
May this winter be cold enough to kill of their offspring but mild enough so I don’t need the travel brochures.
Don’t forget the crickets who want to come in now too!
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Yes indeed! They are already coming in the garage.
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I have two words to contribute: bed bugs. Do NOT ask. Really.
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Oh no! I live in fear of those. We don’t travel much but my stepdaughter does.
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I have learned when you get home, check everything thoroughly. Then check again.
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My worry is more with guests coming here. It’s hard to check their luggage.
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Haha!
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Good point…
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Not in your beer! Anywhere but your beer! Yes, I commiserate with you, it has been a buggy season. Maybe it’s a sign? The seven plagues before the end? Okay, now I’m creeping myself out! Did you know they are making weird mosquito clones that don’t bite. Or maybe I just dreamt that tidbit of news? (I have chronic lyme as a result of a tick bite and not being diagnosed for years, so sometimes my mind does funny things. )
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Chronic Lyme is not good. So far I’ve been lucky.
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I’m hoping soon there will be a cure. It is epidemic here in New England and is a terribly insidious disease. I’m glad you have not experienced it, Kate.
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Kate, I forgot to mention that in one of my comments, you name was changed to Crimean by spell check, even though I’m pretty careful about keeping a check on my sneaky little spell-checker. Sorry, and I will make sure it doesn’t happen again.
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Not to worry. I have had a mud wrestle or two with spellcheck myself.
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Sometimes I end up with the strangest words and I can’t figure out how the letters translated to something so far from the original word.
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Bugs were the worst ever this year! We don’t have the luxury of a big city spray program like we used to since we live in the country. I mostly stayed inside because the mosquitoes have always found me irresistible. Ticks were bad in spring and slowly became less of an issue. Now preparing for the attack of the ladybug imposters, Asian beetles. They are the bug version of The Birds. Usually happens after the first frost or several cold nights. Mostly when there are no more aphids to munch on. I am going to google horse chestnuts!
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We had the same problems. We get those ladybug imposters too but they aren’t as plentiful as the stink bug or another similar bug. Glad to know I’m not the only mosquito bate around.
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The one and only thing we have going for us here in California at the moment is a lack of humidity and I think its so dry that even our small insects went to someplace with more moisture! Mosquitos are kind of scary these days, so I wouldn’t mind avoiding them entirely! Winter will be here before you know it and your skin will get a rest. 🙂
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My stepkids live in Denver and they don’t get bug like we do because of the dryness. Mosquitoes are scary and you don’t know they are sitting on you until after they’ve had a nice drink of your blood.
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Here spiders are having a great old time – testy are everywhere and so are their nets
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Probably looking for a nice warm place for the winter.
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I think they have all chosen my home
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I have matching scars on both calves to prove it was a buggy summer! May the winter be clear and clearing!
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I have spots on my legs. Even when they heal they leave a spot for a while.
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We live within a three hour drive of the Zika outbreak, and I’ve been thinking about that every evening when I take a walk. I haven’t heard much about it lately (I guess hurricanes are more of a pressing issue), and I’m hoping this might mean it’s not as much of a problem now. I don’t wish a cold, icy winter for you, Kate, but I suppose if you get one it’ll be a good thing for next summer.
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We didn’t “get” Zika mosquitoes up here although there were a few cases contracted through travel. Perhaps the mosquito population is down from all the spraying. Hurricanes are getting more press these days.
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Don’t send them to Florida! What I hate are the love bugs that stick to the front of your car as though they are glued on like a hood ornament! ~Elle
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I don’t think we get those here, at least I don’t know what they are. I don’t like any bugs that are on my car. Hard to get off especially after a few nice hot sunny days.
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We didn’t have many bugs in the mountains, but we’ve seen quite a few stink bugs lately. I’m ready to raise a stink about it!
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We get a lot of them in the fall.
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I heard the bugs were awful back east. So here’s to a frigid winter. And lots of snow at Christmas.
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Only for Christmas!
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That is one of the good things about where I live. Less bugs. All those fires wipe them out! (Just kidding).
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There is a silver lining in every cloud!
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I know that this is a folk remedy, but I have a friend who places horse chestnuts in strategic corners of her home to ward off spiders. It seems to work for her. Wishing you a pest–free winter!
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I never heard of that. Do they ward of stink bugs? Those are most annoying.
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Sounds like the bugs bugged you this summer, Kate . . . but as Eileen noted, better bug bites than bear bites.
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Bugs were awful this summer except for Japanese beetles. I didn’t see any of those.
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Check out recent social media about the guy who survived two bear attacks. Kinda puts bugs in perspective and, no, he was trying very hard to avoid bears in what he was doing. I had more than my share of chigger bites (they prefer waistbands, panty lines and other warm moist areas) and wore lots of bug spray this summer. I’ll still take the bug bites over a bear standing on my back biting into my head.
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Ok, when you put it like that…..
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We’ve had the stink bugs too, Kate…they’re gross. Hoping for a hard freeze to zap them all.
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Or bring them completely indoors. You find them in odd places sometimes.
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Cold is fine for winter. Snow..heavy snow…quite another matter.
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Just a few inches for Christmas and then wam! Spring!
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The flies and insects and bugs all go absolutely insane at this time of year. I don’t understand it but it’s a fact. When I was teaching, every Year at this time we had 2 or 3 kids a day getting stung by a bee or wasp or hornet. I got stung myself one year.
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I started to pull out the annuals yesterday. It was cool so I didn’t think I needed the bug spray. The gnats were awful. Far worse than in the summer.
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Yup ……….. you’re a dreamer! 🙂
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Sigh!
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