Deer ked - Lipoptena cervi

[j44ke]

A type of louse fly from Europe. An invasive. It is now in MA, CT, NY, VT. We have some of them on our property. They are a biting fly, about the same size as a deer tick. That's what most people think they are when they find one on their person, because once the fly finds a warm blooded hairy creature, they shed their wings and go into the hair for a meal. Deer are their primary host, thus the name. There is some evidence that they may carry Lyme disease, and their bite is very itchy and can create a papule, a solid bump on the skin, that can last several months to over a year. So I thought I'd mention it here, because they aren't ticks but they do bite and they do look like ticks and some tick bites also produce a lasting papule. So misidentification might create worry (omg a tick) and lack thereof (oh just a fly) when you probably do actually want to pay attention to the bite because of possible Lyme infection but maybe not run out and get some doxy. And so you can clue your doctor in if there are issues, because it doesn't seem entirely all that well known.

https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/a...oparasite-move

With wings:



Without wings:

[J_B]

A type of louse fly from Europe. An invasive. It is now in MA, CT, NY, VT. We have some of them on our property. They are a biting fly, about the same size as a deer tick. That's what most people think they are when they find one on their person, because once the fly finds a warm blooded hairy creature, they shed their wings and go into the hair for a meal. Deer are their primary host, thus the name. There is some evidence that they may carry Lyme disease, and their bite is very itchy and can create a papule, a solid bump on the skin, that can last several months to over a year. So I thought I'd mention it here, because they aren't ticks but they do bite and they do look like ticks and some tick bites also produce a lasting papule. So misidentification might create worry (omg a tick) and lack thereof (oh just a fly) when you probably do actually want to pay attention to the bite because of possible Lyme infection but maybe not run out and get some doxy. And so you can clue your doctor in if there are issues, because it doesn't seem entirely all that well known.

https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/a...oparasite-move

With wings:



Without wings:

Oh, excellent... I've grown to miss chasing the spotted lanternflies around, so these will keep me busy.

[Mabouya]

For some reason the Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs have suddenly become active at my place. (at least that's what I think they are)

Pretty harmless as best I can tell, and unlike the green ones that are really stinky, these don't seem to smell.

https://ipm.missouri.edu/pestMonitoring/bmsb/index.cfm

[Too Tall]

We have the same stinkbugs here which,thankfully, are not very stinky. What they are is clumsy fliers and love to hide in all the wrong places.

Yesterday I was working on one of the water well houses. When I opened the door was presented with thousands and thousands of ladybugs covering the door and walls. Incredible so of course I recited the childhood wish/chant and now everyone can relax. All of our dreams will come true. If I missed anyone let me know, there is a unlimited supply of lost ladybugs.

[mnoble485]

Timely post, the Mrs. and I just got back to daughter and son in laws cabin in Magee Valley, N.C. yesterday. After getting settled in the wife says”I think I found a tick on the wall”. I go and find a ladybug and she immediately sings “ Ladybug Ladybug...”. I looked up the origins of the song, pretty dark, as are many childhood rhymes.

Mike

[rwsaunders]

Those damned Murder Hornets have my full and undivided attention.

https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-...-and-globally/

[marley]

Have any of you Southerners* seen the tRump caterpillar?

Move over murder hornets. The next end times plague is upon us. Venomous hairy caterpillars have been spotted in Virginia.

https://granitegrok.com/blog/2020/10...ed-in-virginia



*for a true eastern Masshole this would be anyone living below the Mass Pike

[j44ke]

Timely post, the Mrs. and I just got back to daughter and son in laws cabin in Magee Valley, N.C. yesterday. After getting settled in the wife says”I think I found a tick on the wall”. I go and find a ladybug and she immediately sings “ Ladybug Ladybug...”. I looked up the origins of the song, pretty dark, as are many childhood rhymes.

Mike

Sounds like my wife, except for the ladybug song. Everything is a tick. Is that a tick? Bread crumb. Is that a tick? Click beetle. Is that a tick? Jumping spider. Etc.

But this louse fly, she spotted it originally and said “A tick!” It wasn’t obviously, but it was weird and turned out to be an insect of concern at least.

In AZ, it was tiny scorpions.

[j44ke]

Marley, that’s a southern flannel moth caterpillar. A native species, not an invasive. Oak (host tree) wilt may have something to do with their range shift, perhaps because availability of oak is decreasing within the normal range and/or the value of oak is increasing regionally so transport of logs from elsewhere may also be transporting moths.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopyge_opercularis

[echappist]

For some reason the Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs have suddenly become active at my place. (at least that's what I think they are)

Pretty harmless as best I can tell, and unlike the green ones that are really stinky, these don't seem to smell.

https://ipm.missouri.edu/pestMonitoring/bmsb/index.cfm

These buggers are everywhere. I was disposing 5-6 of them every day in May...