This is a conifer bug, more commonly known here in upstate New York as a "Stink Bug". If you step on this bug, they emit some type of odor that is kind of like decaying garbage. So I'm told. I have the good fortune of possessing a very poor sense of smell, and it has served me well. It was beneficial while changing diapers. But that's a long way back. Sometimes this sense of smell will kick in at inopportune moments, but for the most part, I'm safe. Anyway, the conifer bugs hatch each time the weather changes. The warmth of the sun seens to re-energize these little fellas, and they come back in full force. Before our house was completely insulated they would find their way in. TERROR. The first time I saw one I was totally freaked out, being unfamiliar with the slow and gentle nature of these harmless bugs. Once I realized that they were easy to catch, I did not feel so threatened. Killing them was easy. I have friends (and some people I know intimately) that will take a bug and carry it gingerly to the outdoors. This is very nice, but not my style. If I had an oozie available I would use that to erradicate the stink bug population. Spiders would also be goners. Basically, any bugs. When it comes down to "them" or "Me" I use whatever tools are available to me to kill them dead. I am afraid of bugs. The only bug that has any merit in my world is a lady bug, and they too will hatch in the warm weather in multitudes. The first time Jerry and I went away for a weekend together, our hotel room had a hatch of lady bugs. Since then, I have held them in high favor. But any time we came north for a weekend or vacation, the first time we cranked up the heat the crawlys would hatch in the house causing me a weekend of rummaging and pillaging and mass destruction. If they were in the house I would find them. Lady bugs too. A single lady bug I will carry outside to live and breed in freedom with all my heartfelt best wishes. "Lady Bug Lady Bug Fly away home, your house is on fire and the children alone". What a lovely little ditty for the children. A hatch of lady bugs I will vacuum up without a backward glance. I do not want to live among the bugs. Camping is one thing, but tents have zippers for a purpose. Now that the house is well insulated and all points of egress have been plugged up, we are fairly safe. The conifer bug picture shows him OUTSIDE the window. Where he needs to stay. The worst feeling in the world is finding a spider, taking your eyes off him for a moment while you find the tool of destruction (be it a shoe or a book) and coming back to where he was and seeing. . . nothing. AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH. Now I have to worry about where he is. All Night. And if it is in the bedroom, I will lay there with my eyes open scanning the ceiling and points to the side. Scary stuff these bugs. They say if you find a spider in your home it means your house is clean. This may be true, because we have been renovating and I haven't found any recently. I'm not sure if I'm happy about that though. Because now, really, what's my motivation to clean the house?
Our journey from Long Island to the Adirondack Park - Just 40 feet over the Blue Line to Paradise! Me, my Honey, three dogs and a teenager!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Bug Off
This is a conifer bug, more commonly known here in upstate New York as a "Stink Bug". If you step on this bug, they emit some type of odor that is kind of like decaying garbage. So I'm told. I have the good fortune of possessing a very poor sense of smell, and it has served me well. It was beneficial while changing diapers. But that's a long way back. Sometimes this sense of smell will kick in at inopportune moments, but for the most part, I'm safe. Anyway, the conifer bugs hatch each time the weather changes. The warmth of the sun seens to re-energize these little fellas, and they come back in full force. Before our house was completely insulated they would find their way in. TERROR. The first time I saw one I was totally freaked out, being unfamiliar with the slow and gentle nature of these harmless bugs. Once I realized that they were easy to catch, I did not feel so threatened. Killing them was easy. I have friends (and some people I know intimately) that will take a bug and carry it gingerly to the outdoors. This is very nice, but not my style. If I had an oozie available I would use that to erradicate the stink bug population. Spiders would also be goners. Basically, any bugs. When it comes down to "them" or "Me" I use whatever tools are available to me to kill them dead. I am afraid of bugs. The only bug that has any merit in my world is a lady bug, and they too will hatch in the warm weather in multitudes. The first time Jerry and I went away for a weekend together, our hotel room had a hatch of lady bugs. Since then, I have held them in high favor. But any time we came north for a weekend or vacation, the first time we cranked up the heat the crawlys would hatch in the house causing me a weekend of rummaging and pillaging and mass destruction. If they were in the house I would find them. Lady bugs too. A single lady bug I will carry outside to live and breed in freedom with all my heartfelt best wishes. "Lady Bug Lady Bug Fly away home, your house is on fire and the children alone". What a lovely little ditty for the children. A hatch of lady bugs I will vacuum up without a backward glance. I do not want to live among the bugs. Camping is one thing, but tents have zippers for a purpose. Now that the house is well insulated and all points of egress have been plugged up, we are fairly safe. The conifer bug picture shows him OUTSIDE the window. Where he needs to stay. The worst feeling in the world is finding a spider, taking your eyes off him for a moment while you find the tool of destruction (be it a shoe or a book) and coming back to where he was and seeing. . . nothing. AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH. Now I have to worry about where he is. All Night. And if it is in the bedroom, I will lay there with my eyes open scanning the ceiling and points to the side. Scary stuff these bugs. They say if you find a spider in your home it means your house is clean. This may be true, because we have been renovating and I haven't found any recently. I'm not sure if I'm happy about that though. Because now, really, what's my motivation to clean the house?
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1 comment:
The spider search resonates with me...when we had our "camp" for the first year, I too had to sleep with one eye open for a night or three...a spider or something crawled over my face and I swatted it so hard I thought I was going to knock myself out!!!
....aaaarrrggghhh!!!! I can't stand feeling creepy crawly things on me...not even cobwebs, ew!!
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