The Petersen Herd

The Petersen Herd

Monday, August 3, 2009

Pests & Perspective . . .

I know that I've lost readers as I've documented our buggy adventures. Bear with me through the latest and greatest of our insect escapades.I hate chiggers - scabes, whatever little critter got me IN MY SLEEP and left this lovely itchy hurty pattern on my ankle. 10 bites in all and one grumpy momma!
Meet the "Cicada Killer" (so identified by the exterminator). My good friend actually held on to this guy for me because she knew we needed to see it. Note that my fingers give a very accurate point of reference, yes, it's REALLY that big!
Stinger is still in tact. These fellas climb out of the ground at night and attack the cicadas and are quite aggressive so I'm told - if you see one, best not tease it.
And yet another round of the lovely hornworms. This time I found about 5 of them the first night, rather small - by the next night the 6 that I had missed after a careful once-over of my plants had tripled in size!
I don't complain so much about the cost of organic produce - they earn every penny dealing with critters without ever-so-effective pesticides! Still, at least I'm not worried about eating the tomatoes we've grown (YUMMY!)

So - why the post title? Well, no matter how bad the bugs here are, I've found something ever so much worse! Rats!

2 comments:

Jami said...

Ouch, I'm sorry about those bites on your ankle! That's HORRIBLE.

But what is this about a rat?! DON'T tell me it was in you house. I've only seen a mouse in my house (more than a year ago) and it was incredible the reaction I had. I transformed from a competent, "do-it-myself" independent woman into a girly-girl child who had tears in her eyes and nightmares because of a stupid MOUSE. So, for everyone's sake, PLEASE tell me it wasn't in your house. :)

Heath 'n Jeri said...

Ew Ew and Ewwwwwww. I'm sorry that creature got you in your sleep. That would make me a grumpy momma as well.