It's Miller Moth Time

LisaA · Post by **LisaA** » 05-07-2002 12:42 PM

Every year about this time the miller moths travel through, on their journey between the mountains and the prairies.

They are gray, about one inch long and not shiny or loud. Pretty innocent, really. And the birds are happy to see them.

I am not happy to see them. Last year we saw hardly any but three years ago you had to shut the garage door instead of leaving it open or the next day there would be a swarm of them when you got in your car.

This is, I think, a buildup year and next year it'll probably get that way again.

In Utah it's the little red and black box-elder beetles crawlin' all over everything.

Do you get these little bug cycles?

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » 05-07-2002 05:36 PM

Yup, we've got tons of the box elder bugs. If they're not flying, they're boinking each other. They use a curious tail to tail method for copulation. Never studied their life cycle, so I don't know where they lay the eggs.

Don't seem to do much else except feed the birds.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 05-08-2002 10:49 AM

Cycles and cycles - from ladybugs & locusts to butterflies - come and go.

Now that we have our garage swallows the problem with mosquitoes is a LOT less!! Also grasshoppers - seen several littleones so am wondering what their cycle is doing.

LisaA · Post by **LisaA** » 05-08-2002 08:12 PM

And it's the flying of the cottonwood seeds too. I kind of like to see them. And the time of the lilacs.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 05-09-2002 08:37 AM

Lisa - you can keep the snowball seeds from cottonwoods - they area nuisance! Actually I have an allergy to cottonwood buds - some oily substance they give off - good thing it lasts less than two weeks for the buds to pop open! Lilacs are finished blooming here...

LisaA · Post by **LisaA** » 05-09-2002 08:55 PM

You guys! We have a tree with a robin's nest in it! I'm so excited, I just can't hide it!
Except I haven't told my boy. He might try to "investigate." Maybe with some coaching he can get the idea not to disturb it, but, I dunno.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 05-10-2002 09:24 AM

Lisa --hehehe -- we have three pair of nesting swallows in the garage. It means we have to cover the cars with tarp (car covers) but for the benefit of ridding our area of mosquitoes -- its well worth it!

Outside we have robins, bluebirds, cardinals and other birds nesting in nearby trees. The funniest ones are the wrens who have nested in the small trees by the side of the house -- either they are not to brilliant or don't care that their nests are barely 3 ft off the ground and easily reached by neighborhood cats. As I type, I look across the sunroom to the garage where the swallows are zooming in and out of the window. They are quite the fliers!

daboodaddy · Post by **daboodaddy** » 05-10-2002 05:16 PM

We have these things people call "love-bugs" who have a tail to tail copulation technique. They do "it" in mid air in flight.They are black and have orance-red spots. They may be what y'all call the "elder beetle", but they do not have the structure of beetles.
We have mating season for Palmetto bugs (BIG flying cockroaches).
We have swarms of large flying ants as well.
I wish we had fireflies.

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Question EVERYTHING, even your OWN thoughts.
A "Daboodaddyism"

Post by **Linnea** » 05-11-2002 01:21 AM

There seem to be small swarms of no see ums here around Seattle. There are sparrows, the western robin, scolding blue jays, the ubiquitous ravens/black birds, ever present sea gulls, and - a few weeks ago - a large american bald eagle! The lilacs are just blooming here and they do not have the lovely, lovely scent of Michigan lilacs. Used to pick an armfull of lilac blooms in Michigan in June, and the whole house would be filled with their fragrance. I miss the midwest! Should go 'home' this year. Great topic again, Lisa!

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 05-11-2002 11:56 AM

Years ago living in MN we had Great Jays - big gray colored Jays who were a total nuisance in a fun sort of way... They were not afraid of anything and would often come down onto picnic tables while you were sitting there eating.

I saw the thrush yesterday in the yard so they are back now too. As are the hummingbirds who have this nectar urge! We have some golden eagles around, a few hawks and a barn owl who has returned from wherever it has been. Some of the other common birds - wrens and blackbirds are year round residents. So far I haven't heard the mockingbirds but I figure give it a month..

The neighbors mare has foaled and the baby is running around in the pasture.

LisaA · Post by **LisaA** » 05-11-2002 12:43 PM

Neither my apple nor my apricot tree set out any blossoms. I didn't expect my apricot tree to do that. I'll be really lucky if we get apricots one out of five years. But we just had wonderful apples last year. I guess when they've even decided to blossom, and there's a freeze, the trees just don't do anything.

The plum tree, of course, is doing its thing. Tons and tons. They don't look green, though. Maybe they froze too. I have to go and thin the plums to one every six inches or there are lots of little 'uns all over. And then we have to compete with the birds and squirrels to get them to ripen and have some to eat.

When the trees don't set fruit, they seem to grow more. Gotta trim 'em.

Something to do.