I do not expect to get bombarded by bugs in the fall. Especially bugs that I don’t normally see here in vast numbers and don’t want to see here, thank you. Sneaking in when you open the door so that they can attach themselves to your curtains, sofa, and everything else they can find. They don’t bite, but can hurt you nonetheless when you twist your ankle jumping back off the chair that you climbed on to swat them when they decided they liked to hang upside-down on your ceiling.
I know the midges are one of the disadvantages of living close to the lake. Are these 2 inch long bugs also?
Are these the insect version of the Daddy Long Legs spider? Momma Long Legs perhaps? And if they are water bugs, what are they doing on and in my house? There hasn’t been any rain around here for days!!
So go away bug. Go back to the lake. I don’t want you here. Scat. Shoo. Be gone. Fly away home. Oh I know that last one’s for a different bug but I thought I’d try it anyway.
20 comments:
I agree. Bugs can spoil the time spent outdoors. They can spoil a garden too it they get too numerous.
Marnie
Marnie,
The little buggers drive me crazy!!
Yuk! No fun are they. I don't know what they are, we do have- few here and they seem to want inside more than some of the pther bugs. Maybe they won't last long and their season will soon be over.
We always called those things "gallinippers" when I was growing up. I have no idea if that's what they are really called, though. This time of year there are so many bugs out when I go biking, I need a personal windshield!
They are adult craneflys. Or we sometimes call them leatherjackets. They are in the process of finding others to mate with, and then will lay eggs in your grass to overwinter. In the spring the hatched eggs will turn into larvae, which are approx, 1/2
inch long, and quite thick. They will feed on your grass all summer, then hatch into adult craneflys. If your lawn has brown roundish patches in in, approx.6 - 8 inches across, that is cranefly damage.
In England, you might be able to purchase Nematodes, a natural preditor of craneflys, to control the problem. But so far in Canada, I don't think that we can get a non chemical option. They are especially gross when they get tangled in your hair!! So glad that I cut my hair.
Jen
Beckie,
I hope their season is done by tomorrow :)
D_G,
I looked them up on Wikipedia and they are indeed sometimes called gallinippers. You also need a wiper/washer on that windshield for when all those bugs go splat!!
Jen,
You certainly know your bugs because according to Wikipedia, they are crane flys and the larve is called leatherjackets. And I don't want them laying ANY eggs in my lawn. So I take it that I will have to wait until spring to try to get rid of the larve. I'm pretty sure we can buy nematodes here. Thanks for the info.
Well, you learn something new every day. I always thought those ugly things were male mosquitoes. I'll have to look up gallinippers/crane flies. Your midge problem sounds a lot like the mosquito problem here. I've resorted to wearing a mesh hooded jacket while working outside. Argh.
Wait for a little longer and the flying ants will be out in force. I moved a big rock the other day and a bunch of them were under there ready to excape. We have an awful lot of huge spiders also. I thing they're big enought to eat your cranefly. Middle sis
MMD,
At least the midges don't bite, unlike mosquitos!! And they're only here for about 2 weeks in the spring. But we do have mosquitos, too, although you seem to have a worse problem with them than we do. I haven't had to resort to a mesh hooded thingy yet :-)
Betty,
No, No, No. I don't want to hear about any flying ants!!! If you want some craneflies I can save some for you. You can feed your spiders.
Maybe you should do as Bear Grylls does. Eat those bugs, there's more protein in them than in a steak (I hear). ;P
I don't know what those things are either. We actually have them earlier in the summer before mosquitoes. They hang around in your garage and your back door. I don't know why they want to come in. They just die inside.
I discovered the cranefly this summer... actually, I'd seen them before, of course, but I just found out what they're called. There are many varieties. Hopefully only one where you live! ;-) My local pest, the mosquito, has been especially aggressive lately.
TC,
I'll take my protein medium rare but never raw thank you. If Mr. Grylls would like to stop by for a little snack, he's more than welcome. Are you sure you don't know this fact first hand?
Susie,
I wish they would just die outside before they plaster my back door!!
Shady,
I don't even want the one variety here!! The mosquito hasn't been too bad here because of lack of rain, but since we finally got some last night, I expect that we'll now be bombarded with those too. Such fun!!
HAAA! You have craneflies doing the deed in your house, you must be like the "No tell Motel" for craneflies!:)
Far Side,
I actually did catch 2 of them doing the deed on my shed door this morning. Splat!!!
flydragon-Have you noticed that Eileen at a Life of Triggers' blog has disappeared? That really bothers me. I hope she is okay.
We've been getting a lot of those bugs around here too. Not really any water around, so I don't know where they are coming from. I used to see a lot of them when I visited my mother in Wisconsin, and we would go camping on Lake Winnebago. They were everywhere up there.
Lisa
Susie,
I noticed that a couple of days ago and was worried too. When I saw your comment this morning, I went back to my older posts and looked for the last comment she left here. That was on Aug. 30. I clicked on her name and it took me to a new blog http://wishinganddiscovering.blogspot.com/ I guess she decided to start over.
Lisa,
Well I wish they would have stayed up there :) I thought they were mostly around water but I guess not. Maybe this is just a freak year for them moving inland. At least I hope so and hope next year will be back to normal.
Thanks for the info. I'll have to check it out.
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