Just plain buggy

Well, things are getting pretty buggy around here. What started out as 18 harmless ladybugs a month or so ago has blossomed into an insect collection of staggering size and variety - mind you not all at once. We only have so many bug containers (or do we?). I knew things were getting out of hand when I looked out the back door and saw the following:



Yes, that is Brian in the back yard with the shop vac. Yes, he is vacuuming up bugs. Turns out he was trying to see how many mosquitoes he could vacuum up. A lot. (The mosquitoes are horrendous right now.)

We have been discovering SOOOOO many different bugs I didn't even think existed in the Houston area. Surprise, surprise!


MY GREEN ANOLE PICTURE WON'T LOAD - WILL TRY LATER!


The friendly green anole in his new natural habitat - an old cereal staorage container. Won't be using that one for cereal again! It was funny to watch him change colors. Nicole would come in and say, "Look Mommy, now he's a brown anole!"



Then we have the newest pet in our family (haven't had one in a while), Prickles, the fuzzy larva of the Great Leopard Moth. He is interesting because you can really watch him eat all the greens we give him. The past several days though he hasn't been eating much. Then, lo and behold, the other night Brian discovered his skin laying on the floor of his container. How lazy!



Our next specimen is my least favorite and because he was so gross for a while, he has been relegated to the garage. He was really icky when he was in the larva stage. Now he has cocooned (if that's a word) and not quite as gross, but not so lovely either. He shall remain in the garage! From what we have learned he shall be a Cutworm Moth someday. :)



And last, but not least, our latest find - an Angular Winged Katydid! He is huge - almost 2 inches. And he looks just like a leaf. Brian discovered him last night outside on the brick of the house - no wonder we found him. Must have been in transit. Poor guy. He has been captured. He is funny to watch as he walks very carefully around the cereal jar. He went with us in the car this morning to Wal-Mart.

I must say I am proud of myself. I am taking this all so well. Allowing bugs in my home, well, most of them. I have been tolerant and good natured and somewhat interested. I was a bit grossed out by the skin shedding, but who wouldn't be. And boy, oh boy, am I receiving an education I never thought I'd get! And we haven't even officially begun Kindergarten yet!

Have a buggy day - I will!