It started with a low buzzing, the kind that often accompanies warm sunshine. As I carry out a basket of sweetly damp washing I half expect to be met by a cloud of drunken bees, swarming their way haphazardly towards my children’s freshly washed bedding.
Then I see them, low to the ground, dancing from blade of grass to blade of closely sown grass. The air hums with them, my eyes lose count, my heart leaps just a little bit, that frisson of fear, that flash of ‘what ifs’ that runs through my brain like an unexpected trickle of ice cold water.
- What if they sting?
- What if they eat my kids?
- What if they’re the start of some terrible biblical plague?
I have to admit they look quite pretty really though, like a kind of grown up version of the ladybird – when it’s moved on from that awkward spotty stage…
And they fly…
But there are just so many of them and I know they will freak my kids out. Well ok, they freak me out a bit too. (Shhhhhhhh.)
So I decide to try to learn more, and being the fabulous research type woman that I am, I found them.
Apparently they are harmless, unless you are green and part plant, and they are often referred to as the May Bug,
BUT
I prefer their other name…
Snort.
Can’t wait to slip that into a conversation somewhere tomorrow.
(Bad Jo)
P.S. Miss M was fine and came back with a smile on her grubby little face today. Thank Bob.
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May 31st, 2009 at 3:46 pm
The cockchafer!!!
Hahahah!
Awesome!
May 31st, 2009 at 5:36 pm
They are Junebugs here…evidently we (the U.S.) are behind the times as always. But I really love that they are cockchafers..I’ll call them that forever now.
May 31st, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Har! Well, I am glad we don’t have those here… they are a tad on the large size and yes, would probably freak me out.
May 31st, 2009 at 8:15 pm
I was going to say that too, Junebugs here. I hate them. They disgust me. The fact that when they smack up against the window and the have the clicky crunchy noise, ooooohhhhhh. I hate them. Yes, they are huge. BLEH.
May 31st, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Glad to hear Miss M was fine.
interesting bugs. I think Sugar would like them…but she is funny like that.
May 31st, 2009 at 9:54 pm
We must have them here too, but I don’t know what they are called. Surely not such a thing as Cockchaffer, I would remember that! I’ll have to check around and see what they are here and get back to you.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:10 pm
LOL! Maybe we should just change your name to the buglady! They seem to have a natural attraction to you.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:45 pm
We’ve got them everywhere too, Jo. Do you live near us? Spooky!
June 1st, 2009 at 11:16 am
Living in the country has been a huge adjustment for me, for bug reasons alone. We tried to eat desert outside Saturday night and I lasted less than five minutes before I fled back inside. ~sigh~
June 1st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
With a name like that I can think of a few people I’d like to inflict those on…
(Ps. PD is a Bob so I find it really odd when you thank him for so many things!)
June 1st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Snort, indeed.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Hee hee, ahhh it made my day Sybil.
Lee you must. Cockchafers is so much funnier and I want to see if men wince when they say it.
Maureen they are gross. I’ll send you some if you want any. Ick.
Margarita, yep, they’re nasty. It’s weird but I’ve just never seen them before over here. There seem to be loads this year.
Corey, my niece would like them too I think. My two are sadly wusses like their Mummy. I try to convince them these things are cute by giving them names and stories but it’s not convincing when I’m running away or jumping when they touch me,
Gossamer Woman I’ll be waiting to hear hee hee.
Karisma they do don’t they? When I was younger and terrified of spiders they seemed to follow me around and stalk me. Yack. Maybe I smell nice to bugs??
Rosie isn’t it weird? I mean, it’s not as though you only live a few streets away or anything. ;D
Kim I have mixed feelings about eating outside for the same reasons. Wasps and flies are the worst though, and Miss E is terrified of them.
Surprised definitely, hee hee. You married BOB. Wow.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Oh I am really gonna use that one! too funny.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Yuck! Makes my blood run cold, bleurgh; got a real phobia about bugs. Spiders, moths etc all fine BUT anything that crawls and makes you itch…arrgghhh. It’s called Acarophobia; mostly controlled and fine now; thinking about COCKCHAFERS, however will make me smile!