Besides gigantic mosquitos, this is what's bugging me, Yellownecked caterpillar! Yuck.
What's "bugging" you?
and a shot of the family!
April, if I'm not mistaken, these sting like heck, so use caution. They were on a wisteria that I had to chop back weekly (in a previous life) and I accidentially brushed against one. I thought somebody had stuck a hot poker to me. It was really painful and those look like the same critters.
Crow, thanks! I don't like caterpilars at all, only tolerate those I know turn into pretty butterflies, so I tend to avoid them. These are way up in an oak tree and in less than 4 days have deleafed (?) nearly 2/3 of the small tree.
Eeeeww, April. I'm so sorry. Is there anything you
can do to get rid of them ? Yuk.
Well if these were in my tree then I'd find out how to get rid of them but frankly I am leasing this house and my landlord is a twit! He doesn't like any of my landscaping and when the lease is up and we move he is ripping out everything that I put in and turning it all back to nothing but St. Augustine! What a jerk, doesn't care that I have planted some rare and some expensive plants, doesn't care that I improved the look of the home and that everyone on the street has complimented me- so I am letting them eat the tree. Also on this same oak, which was an attractive oak, but one that I cannot identify there is a bag worm and some brown scale- none on the other oaks in the neighborhood and none on the other oak or other trees in the yard. I figure this tree wasn't meant for this area- according to my neighbor, the original oak planted by the builder died and the homeowner was forced to finally replace it w/ an oak (no specific type) of a certain size. I don't know where he got it but am sure, based on everything I know, it was the cheapest thing he could find. Serves him right. BUT I AM NOT BITTER!
petit_potager
Oct 22, 2006
This is what "bugs" Cousin May.
The Termite
by Ogden Nash
Some primal termite knocked on wood
And tasted it, and found it good!
And that is why your Cousin May
Fell through the parlor floor today.
.....I'm in an Ogden Nash mode tonight. Sorry.
No, don't be sorry! Enjoyed it and hey, it added some class!
This is called an Oak Leaf caterpillar in this area. They primarily strip the leaves from red oaks. It won't hurt the tree at all as it is nearing the end of the season. They don't sting but I have never figured out what they are good for. I don't know what they turn into ~ maybe more oak leaf caterpillars...
I have a brick patio surrounding a red oak. When there is a large amount of them, I don't have any leaves to rake but have an ample supply of caterpillar dung. Haven't figured what that is good for either. If it rains before I clean the patio off, it will be tracked in.
The only critter really ticking me off right now is the bean leafroller. I figured some pole beans would be nice for a fall garden, and these guys are everywhere. I try to point them out to the birds, but I'm getting nowhere.
But I'll have chickens soon. I'll HAND feed them to the chickens.
Muahaha
You go girl!