Rise of the Insects

[Westi]

It's been one of those days that anything that could bite or sting was out in force. Two ant nests found inadvertently, one in the cabbage patch & one in the French beans which made harvesting a little dodgy & painful. Thankfully no neighbors were down when I had to take my trousers off to shake the little beggars out of them.

Then a wasp was intent of getting one of the plums I had picked for myself and followed me around even after I had put the fruit down. Then I pulled out the fork to do some digging and a wasp nest was right beside it - they were a little grumpy and I had to run away, then the comical routine to get the fork away with the hoe, with one eye on the wee beasties, who were at least staying around their nest & not chasing me down the path at this point!

Westi

[Diane]

You never have a camera when you need one.

[Ricard with an H]

Yesterday after the breeze dropped I was followed everywhere by flies though I was worried about what was amongst those flies because we have horse-flies that come out when the breeze drops on warm days.

So I tested the 'Mistrys' insect repellent bough at huge expense from from the health food store.

Useless.

I'm still a fan of Avon Skin-So-Soft though since they altered the contents I add more citronella, it always works.

Why do businesses get away with selling us stuff that doesn't live up to the claims ? probably because they take a cue from our leaders who always make promises they have no intension of keeping.

Citronella essential oil added to a carrier has always worked and I traveled the highlands and islands for years. Those midges and our local flies don't like Citronella but they love Mistrys insect repellant.

Westi, I'm a bit of an obsessive after being bitten by something then going into anaphylactic shock within minutes. I have been bitten by insects on and off for 70 years so why I reacted this way recently is a mystery and whilst I'm not scared the experience concerned me at the time.

[Pa Snip]

So I tested the 'Mistrys' insect repellent bough at huge expense from the health food store.......................

................ I have been bitten by insects on and off for 70 years so why I reacted this way recently is a mystery

Richard, are you sure it wasn't a Mistry

[Ricard with an H]

Oh-no, most definitely it was a mystery.

And for a numberbofbyears I always had EPI pens in the car, in the house and in my bike bag but it hasn't happened since and I have been bitten by horse fly.

My broad beans crop has been 50% affected by black fly, last time I grew them I had zero black fly. Other than that it's flee beetle everywhere, even the potatoe haulms are covered in holes.

I tried that Misrys stuff again and really lathered it on, I was dripping. It worked better this time though this means I would have too walk around looking like I just walked out of the sea.

During summer I dare not walk down our shady lanes, the insects love the wind shelter and the warmth created by six to ten foot of growth either side of a lane just wide enough for a tractor. Of course the lanes have lots of poo from cattle, sheep, fox, badger and the occasional dog walker who decides that with so much poo about it isn't worth picking up dog poo.

What do you think ?