Oooh, look at me! I decided to change the ol' blog up a bit, sort of a spring cleaning, if you will. What do you think? The new colors are a little bold, I know; but sometimes you just have to make a statement, even if that statement is only "I was bored, so I messed around with my Blogger template."
I think I'm the only blogger who bothers to use semicolons. I feel special.
So, it's been a while since I've shared what I'm reading on the internets, but this article definitely caught my eye. The part where the woman discovers all of the clothing she is wearing is completely covered in teeny-tiny ticks? My brain can make a full-length horror movie out of that image. I mean, just, OMG.
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| THOUSANDS of these - on her CLOTHES |
But, as if that isn't enough to make a bug-phobic person such as myself run screaming in circles around the room, there's the description of this particular new pest - the one that explains that this tick can reproduce simply by cloning itself (GAH).
Scientists, what are you waiting for? Fix this, STAT, before they take over the planet! Thanks.
Looks like we are also going to be invaded this year by the spotted lanternfly, an import from the Far East that decided to pack its bags and see the world. An entomologist from Pennsylvania describes it as "the weirdest, most pernicious insect I've ever seen," while an entomologist from Maryland simply calls it "really a nasty critter."
Think about it - those are people who LIKE bugs. How do you think the rest of us are going to feel about this particular creature, hmmm?
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| Does NOT have a good reputation, apparently |
Long story short, I am dreading the warmer weather, when ants and centipedes once more invade my home, while stinkbugs and cicadas buzz around in great multitudes outside. Do any of you live in Canada? Do you have bugs up there or do your cold winters kill them all off? Would you like a house guest who does dishes and can cook? Talk to me.
[Asian tick image: NPR]
[Lanternfly image: NJ.com]
Looks great around here!
ReplyDeleteAnd the ticks...the bugs...ugh!!!!
Makes one want to stay inside, right???
I just can't think about bugs like that. Or bedbugs. Or the new superlice. Just. Stay out of my brain guys!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who lived in Minnesota for 40 years before moving down south, the bugs in the north are definitely different. Less bugs, in general. More mosquitos. Lots more. Also, LOTS more mice.
ReplyDeleteOh and I really like the new format. The old one would drop the header down over my comment while typing.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has lived in LA for about ten years and I have visited many times. Just this past year, I noticed (I'm apparently slow) that I've never seen an insect there. She claims that the climate is just too dry for them.
ReplyDeleteHow clever of you to match the new blog colors to your bug pictures! Well done. I once sat behind a man at church and he took off his coat and maggots crawled out of it. Many of them.
ReplyDeleteRight there on the pew. In front of me. I don't know if I knew enough prayers to recite to keep me from being sick. It was like a barn coat or something - maybe he worked in a farm or owned horses or something. Trying to give the benefit of the doubt here, but it was GROSS!
My friend moved to Connecticut and she's like "oh it's so beautiful". Which was quickly followed by TICKS TICKS EVERYWHERE. Then there's the snow. Wild animals in her yard. Race track down the street. Yep totally makes me not want to move there.
ReplyDeleteShudder. And reading Ernie's comment made me shudder more. Because I have to go to church tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI am NOT clicking those links. In fact, I scrolled through pretty quickly to avoid actually reading anything about bugs infesting my clothing or home or body.
ReplyDeleteBut I did notice right away that you've redecorated here, and it looks very nice. Calming even. I could use some calm. Thank you.