bugs – New England's Narrow Road

My Encounter With The Turd Bug

turd bug on tomato leaf — Little “turd bug” on my tomatoes.

As I was checking on my newly planted tomato plants the other day, I noticed this black spot on a leaf. I thought at first it was just a bird turd because that is what it looked like. The bluejays and chickadees like to perch on the wire cages that are around the tomatoes and I almost didn’t look further, but then I saw another one – and it looked exactly the same.

Upon closer inspection I saw that it was a bug! I picked it up and it had a hard shell that split in half to reveal wings and it flew away. Like a ladybug, but not as cute. I noticed quite a few of them and began to pick them off the leaves because I noticed that they were chewing holes. I call it a turd bug because I have no idea what it is, but it looks like bird poop.

I’ve never encountered this bug before. If you know what it is, please leave me a message.

Update: They are now on my potato plants too.
12-11-12 …. Also…. Thank you to the reader who said they may be the Clavate Tortoise beetle or Plagiometiona clavata. I think so…!!! Many thanks.

See more photos on my Hydrangeas Blue blog where I wrote again about this bug when it showed up again.

They’re Heeeeeere – The Black Flies Return

Black flies are the worst of all bugs. I’ve lived in Florida where the spiders are the size of your hand. Seriously, I have seen some enormous spiders in my life. I’ve dealt with cockroaches, palmetto bugs and banana spiders (pictured) and I don’t like any of them, but none of them kept me from being able to go outside.

About a week ago I was outside enjoying our stint of sunny, dry (too dry) weather and sure enough I thought I saw a black fly. They are tiny, but something about the way they fly past your head is unmistakable. Then a few days later as I was watering the tulips I got bitten and they were swarming me like mad. I had to go inside.

So from now until the beginning of June there will be no enjoying the outdoors up here in New Hampshire. I could try riding a bike and move faster than them (if only I wouldn’t have to walk up the hills – ya, right). I won’t be going for walks on the nice days or doing much yard work. I will still take my chances and go outside, but one of my arms already has 5 bites that are swollen and itchy. Ahhhh Spring.

Trying to ID Some Things In My New Yard (newenglandsnarrowroad.wordpress.com)

When It Comes to Ticks, We Can Be Quite Vicious

Name one thing that everyone hates. Ticks! What good are they? What purpose do they serve? They are nasty, blood-sucking things that leave itchy welts when they bite and cause concern over Lyme disease for all of us who live where deer ticks are found.

What I know is that having animals that go outside means they will bring ticks into the house and then they will end up on you. I used to comb my cat Richie when he came in from hunting all day in the woods and fields, and sometimes I would find 11 ticks on him at a time. It used to be that we got a break from the ticks after Spring, but this year Fall is bringing them back. I recently pulled a couple off my other cat.

In Florida I always sprinkled Borax around to keep the flea population down and it kills other things too, so I did a Borax experiment with a tick. I closed in a jar with borax in the bottom and waited to see if he would die. I waited for days and he didn’t die. So I flushed him like I usually do.

My landlady used to burn them with her lighter, and my neighbors loved the fact that their chickens ate them.

It is snowing now, so I hope this means the end of ticks until Spring.

Now That’s a Bug Bite!

I apologize for the poor quality of this picture, but you are probably thankful you CAN’T see it very well.

I took this picture in the mirror after I realized how huge this bite had become. I had a total of about 5 of them that got this swollen – thankfully none were on my face!

Kinda gross, I’ll admit, but this is what happens when the black flies bite me. Not every bite does this, only certain ones – maybe the bugs with the really big teeth…

I suppose I am allergic to them, but I don’t have any trouble with other types of bug bites.

Black fly season is over — yipppeeee — and I can go outside again without fear of becoming deformed.

THIS IS NOTHING – check out the one from THIS year (2012)