September 24, 2009

There seems to be an epidemic of stink bugs hanging around my house. I never even knew what a stink bug was until earlier this summer. I actually thought they were kind of cute. (That was also my reaction when I first met a Japanese beetle. Oh what a beautiful bug! Then I saw the mess they made of my flowers) The stink bug is interesting in design. It's shield shaped and mottled and sort of solid looking. There is nothing flittery or slimy or creepy or weird about them. Then I learned their name. I haven't actually smelled one yet. Because I haven't squished one. A bug has to be really offensive or dangerous to get squished in our house. Yes, we trap 'em and carry them outside. (With the exception of dog fleas and head lice which get thoroughly doused in poison.) Fortunately as the stink bug sightings go up so do the spider sightings. I am also seeing more spider webs patrolled my mega-sized spiders. Today I almost ran through one strung between the car's side mirror and the car port wall. In the middle of this web was a large spider feeding on a stink bug. Gruesome and awesome all at the same time.