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Discussion » Statements » Rosie's Corner » I cannot remember the last time I saw a bee or a fly or an ant. Where did all of them go?
RosieG

I cannot remember the last time I saw a bee or a fly or an ant. Where did all of them go?

Also this though I fear I will bring down the wrath of the gods


I have not gotten bitten this year so far by a mosquito or anything.

A few years ago it was a problem. They've always liked me for some reason. Last year I think maybe I got one bite. This year? Nothing. Not a complaint just an observation.

Posted - July 9, 2020
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Responses


  • 33917
    Perhaps because you are staying inside more this year.

    We still have all our pests here. Skeeters love me as well. 
      July 9, 2020 10:00 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    I have always stayed inside m2c. Jim is the one whose life has changed drastically. Mine has changed very little. I wear masks and gloves and social distance when I go out. We go out to the same places we always did. The market and errands. Otherwise elsewise I am a HOMEBODY. We open the sliding galss door to the back. I take trash out every day. I come in. No change in that. Yet this year NO MOSQUITO BITES. Why? Thank you for your reply.
      July 9, 2020 2:50 PM MDT
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  • 10576

    Would you like some of mine?  

    My backyard is 60% clover – and covered with honeybees (either one of my neighbors is keeping bees or there’s a “wild” hive nearby).  I have to make sure my dog doesn’t eat one of them (bad enough he rolls on them).

    I spent nearly a month pouring boiling water on ant nests this year trying to keep them from getting into my house.  Thankfully, they now seem content to swarm along the outside edge of the sidewalks.  It took me years to get rid of the ant infestation inside my house and I don’t want the back!

    We don’t say “F-L-Y”.  My dog is terrified of them.  They keep getting inside the house and my dog just sits under the kitchen table quivering.  Around dawn thy line the leaves of my squash plants waiting for the sun to rise and warm their wings so they can fly.

    Mosquitoes dwindle in drought years, as there isn’t as much water around for them to breed in (they like stagnant water).  However, if you really want some skeeters, I have more than enough around here for you (I’m sure the frogs and dragonflies would be happy to share).  

    Between drought and pollution, insects are on the decline.   Well… except for bark beetles.   They seem to be proliferating.  Strangely, I have seen more dragonflies around here this year than ever before, but fewer swarms of gnats and midges.

      July 9, 2020 1:13 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    I appreciate the offer of your sharing yours with us Shuhak. I really do. I shall take a pass on that. So you've noticed no difference at all then? Very strange. Maybe it will all settle down and balance out and things will get back to "normal".  What is normal these days? Thank you for your thoughtful reply. You really are an okay good guy. I woulnd't mind sharing whatever you grow and eat though. Is that being forward or what? :)
      July 9, 2020 2:53 PM MDT
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  • 10576

    Thank you. 

    Between the hailstorm in June and the recent cool nights, my garden’s not doing well this year (so far, anyway).   The nights have been cool lately so I’m experiencing a lull in produce.  For a while, I was inundated with yellow squash (crookneck and patty pan), but now they have stopped setting fruit.   My tomatoes aren’t doing much better.  Only the beefsteak tomatoes have much fruit on them, and they won’t be ready until late August or September (unless the rats get them first).  The Early Girl’s and Fourth of July’s – which should be ripe by now – only have 1-2 small green tomatoes on them.  I lost 2 cucumber plants to the hailstorm and the replants are just now bushing out.  They should start fruiting in few weeks (weather permitting).  I plated ¾ of a packet of corn seed, but only 1 plant germinated.  I planted the rest of the packet but only 4 plants germinated.   This year I seem to be doing better in the Aloe department than the vegetable department.  I de-pupped my aloe and now have 7 new plants.

      July 9, 2020 3:21 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    I think I might have mentioned this to you before Shuhak. We have a friend with fruit trees and an extensive vegetable garden. His goal is to have his diet and his wife's 70% of what they grow themselves. They may be there! He has always been an avid gardener. Thing is they are very wealthy and one wouldn't expect that of the wealthy but he is very down to earth. His wife? Not so much but we never see her. He used to come out to Hemet for haircuts. A long-time client of Jim's. We went to their wedding in April 2010 but who remembers. It was a very lavish affair and we did feel be belonged there. So we showed up, watched the ceremony, hung around for awhile and then left before the dinner was served. No one missed us. No one even noticed we were there. Such is life when you mingle with "the upper class". Alas. Thank you for your reply!  How much of your diet comes from YOUR splendid garden?
      July 10, 2020 5:07 AM MDT
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  • 10576
    20%-50%depending on the time of year.
      July 10, 2020 9:25 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    That m'dear is totally AWESOME! All we have is our very prolific lemon tree in our backyard and the orange trees branches of our neighbor that hang over our wall. He has told us we may have whatever oranges we can reach! He has quite a few orange trees and I don't remember the last time we had to buy an orange. Other than that we buy the food we eat. I'm really delighted to learn that about you Shuhak. Ideally we should all be able to grow the food we need. It's nice to know some folks still see that as a very great accomplishment. I sure do! Thank you for your reply! :) This post was edited by RosieG at July 10, 2020 10:05 AM MDT
      July 10, 2020 9:45 AM MDT
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