Lightening bugs

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Ya'll miss lightening bugs? I haven't seen a whole bunch of them out in years. I remember they used to be out in swarms at dusk. Now, I rarely see one or two. Of course it's too early for them yet but I wonder if we will have any this year. It's also supposed to be the year of the cicadas, but I swear I hear cicadas every year!

I do remember there being more lightning bugs (aka fireflies) around when I was a kid. I did see a whole bunch of them at my MIL's house near Anniston several years ago. I can't sleep in strange places so I went out and sat on the back porch. She has an enormous gardenia bush and they were all lighting it up like a Christmas tree in June. It was magical.

I wondered about the cicada thing myself, but these are a different breed of cicadas. They even look different than the ones my dumb cat* used to bring in. The 17 year cicadas are green with blood-red eyes. I guess the noise would be comparable to 17 years worth of cicadas all hatching at once.

*Not really dumb, just unwise in his choice of prey-disposal.

I just looked it up on YouTube and what I hear that I always thought were cicadas (which my grandmother called locusts) are katydids.

We still have tons of lightning bugs here,and for some reason we call the cicadas "locusts"or the "dry flies",there's one type of cicada that only comes out every 17 years,they are really noisy and have red eyes,when they come out the old folks would say "Its a Locust year and bad for the berries".We call the green flattish ones katydids.The "locusts" have a fatter body also.

I've always called all of them locusts.

I remember catching them in a jar when I was a kid and bringing them in my room at night. I'd put grass in there and stuff and when I went to sleep somebody would take them outside and let them go. I also remember that sometimes we pulled the tail off and stuck it on our fingers like a glow in the dark ring. Gross, I know but we were kids. I can still remember exactly how they felt in my hand when I caught them to put them in the jar (not to tear the tail off, that's too gross to remember now)

We tied strings on to June bugs and let them buzz around,we'd let them go later but I feel bad about it now.Kids,jeez- us.
Do you have walking sticks?I've heard them called stick horses,or stick devils,but my family called them devil's darning needles,spit in your eye,make you go blind.
And there was a huge multi-colored grasshopper that was in south ark. That we called an Arkansas Traveller,but a friend from Gulf Port,Miss called them by another name.
The strangest bug story is about Bessie bugs,if you squeeze the juice into your ear it will cure an earache.They used this cure on my ex's cousin,it be child abuse for sure now.
And of course the ticks and all the waspers.I just found a whole patch of yearling ticks,how fun.there was at least twenty.

We have walking sticks. And stink bugs. And rolly polly's.

We've got Japanese beetles now and they are a pest,they ate all the blooms off my Crepe
Myrtles.And a big green scarab type beetle,it's the coolest colors.Like it's been enameled.
I loved the rolly pollys when I was little.So far no fire ants,but it's just a matter of time.They are in the lower part of the state.It ended " dinner on the ground" for the Baptists.

I found a stick bug on my car after work and it jumped on me when I was trying to take its picture! I hope the fire ants don't get up where you are. They are bad news. I got bit by one and I still have a mark on the back of my leg two years later. I wonder if all the pesticides and lawn chemicals are doing in the lightning bugs.

Still a ton where I live. Love to catch them

That's what I think,that awful weed and feed $hit,what's wrong with a dandelion in the yard.
I asked a vet about the tick granules being toxic to toads and she said that stuff will kill everything.I don't use chemicals,I have a few ticks and lots of lightning bugs.
We even have a small variety of tarantula and scorpion here.I think bugs are cool.

You can't walk two feet without stepping on an anthill here. They get huge. All over the yards and everywhere. Know what kills them? Grits. Pour a bag of regular grits on each anthill. They will bring it back to their home, eat it, it will swell up and they will explode.

Grits are good for everything,sop up an oil spill if you don't have floor-dry for the shop,smother a fire and emergency kitty litter.And to eat of course.
That's a great tip,I hope we don't get them but I'll remember that just in case.They can get moved on farm equipment from field to field,so Its just a matter of time.And they bumped us a climate zone,from 6 to 7.We used to be to cold for them.The old folks remember when there were no armadillos.They are everywhere now.When people find them dead on the side of the road on their backs they like to place an empty beer can in it's paws. They can carry leprosy so I would never touch one.It's in the Mercks vet manual or I would have thought that was B.S.I know some Texans who like to make chilli out of them ,but Texans are hard to kill.

To prevent ants inside, sprinkle grits around the baseboards in the rooms they come in. I put them under my kitchen sink, down in front and beside the fridge, over by the window, etc. Every place you see ants in your house, and especially where you see them come in at, put grits down. It's simple to sweep up every day and put more down so it keeps them out and doesn't make a big mess. Don't put a whole lot, just a thin little trail there that they will have to walk over, which they will stop and eat. You can put them outside too where you think they may be coming in at. If your porches are low to the ground, it's good to put some right at the corner where the door meets the floor, on the outside. That will keep them from coming in. Also, on all the windowsills. Unlike sprays, it doesn't stink, won't hurt pets or kids, and is real cheap. Don't buy the Martha White, get the store brand cause it's cheap, and make sure it's regular not quick or instant.

Oh! Do you know about hanging the gallon ziplock bag full of water with a penny dropped in it in front of an open window or at the top of a door that's open and closed a lot? It will keep flies out. For real! They do that all summer at the Dairy Queen, which doesn't have screens on the windows. They have a screen door but it's open and shut so much with kids running in and out that there might as well not be a door. They hang one up there and keep it there all summer. Something to do with the light bouncing off it or something will keep them out. Have it hanging a couple inches down from where it opens. Not in front of the top half of the window, you want it in the hole. Same with the door, just hang it an inch or so from the top of the door frame in the middle. It has to be a gallon bag for some reason, the quart size won't work. You can leave your windows and doors open all summer with no screens and not a fly in sight!

And then of course, Skin So Soft for mosquitoes. It works on people and animals. Get the spray kind and just spray it on and rub it in. It's safe for babies and all animals except I think, cats because they lick themselves. I've never heard of it being unsafe but it might not be good for them, although they probably wouldn't like too much of it because of the taste.

And when one of them does end up biting you put white vinegar on it. It will take the itch right out better than anything I've ever used.

PM me your FB name and I'll friend you. I just signed up for a page with lots of tips like that that I'm going to start sharing on my wall. They showed how to make a mosquito catcher the other day and there was a big long one about all the things you can do with cream of tarter. I think you'll like it. You can follow the page too and get all kinds of good ideas.

During all the years that I lived in the Northwest I didn't see even one lightning bug--thought it was maybe too dry in the summer for them. Now that I'm back in the Midwest, last summer we had tons. Brought back memories of catching them in jars as a kid.

I don't have FB,I guess I'm one of the last holdouts.I've been online about a year,still figuring it all out.
My dog used to roll in the fire pit(not when in use ) and the ashes worked for keeping fleas off him.Ground up black walnut shells will work for work for wormer.I'm sure you already know sulfur and lard for mange,better than the burnt motor oil and sulfur ugh.
I saw a dog doused in this jump on a girl with a snow white dress on,I sure felt sorry for her.
I've seen people spit tobacco juice on bug bites,especially wasp or bee stings.We used to paint the mosquito bites with clear finger nail polish,but I'd much rather use the vinegar!!
I'm going to try that trick about the flies,I've seen those bags hanging like that but never asked.Thanks for telling me that,I am missing a few screens.