Okay, I admit it. I'm absolutely irrational when it comes to bugs, spiders, snakes, etc.... I remember when I was in high school, if I saw a spider in the house and there was no one there to kill it, I'd just leave. As an adult, I once called a neighbor to come over and get rid of a Russian Wolf Spider. So when I heard last night that neighbors across the street have killed five scorpions in their house in the last month, I got the creepy crawlies!
I tossed and turned last night thinking of all the places scorpions could be hiding. I eventually did sleep and got up this morning to swim in the pool. As I was swimming laps, I kept seeing a small stick in the water. No big. I always check the sides of the pool and water surface when I get in because I've been stung by bees several times in the water and don't want a replay. And there WAS that episode with the large hairy spider on the side of the pool several weeks ago. (Craig was there to kill that one!)
After I'd been swimming for about 20 minutes, I noticed a huge bug crawling up the side of the pool. Ewwwww. What the heck! My first thought, of course, was scorpion. I quickly hopped out of the pool. I realized then that it was the 'stick' I kept passing when I was swimming. Don't sick the SPCA on me, but I tried to kill the damn thing. 'Tried' would be the operative word. I'm tellin' ya, that thing has a faster backstroke than I do! I never got it, but I did get a couple of photos. I'm hoping it got sucked into the vortex so I can just dump it out of the skimmer basket tonight. Actually, I think I'll just let Craig dump the skimmer basket when he gets home tomorrow! And I'm hoping it doesn't have friends!
This bug is so weird, it's kinda cute! I think it might be a Walkingstick?
6 comments:
We don't get such exotic bugs around here--I guess one nice thing about cold weather! Only time I've ever seen a scorpion is in AZ back in the 70s! We do get spiders, though & I've been bitten--not pretty!
Beck - I used to be a bug phobic too (actually, I still hate them), and any bug I encountered here was killed with much trepidation in case it got me first. Miguel doesn't kill anything except cockroaches. Miguel feels that all life, including insects, serve a purpose (actually cockroaches may too, not sure about that), and he just relocates them. So now I relocate them too - across the road into the plants. Unless of course they try to crawl near me, then I panic and do them in. So, just take your pool net and scoop the bug out and shake him into your garden - he won't bother you. Scorpions - well, they are hard to find during the day, they are nocturnal. Always wear shoes and shake out towels and things, they like to hide. You could get a cat - they do a great job controlling any wayward insects. :-)
What a strange-looking bug! Let us know if you find out what it is.
Ann, so far I haven't seen a scorpion. I'm a little afraid about how I'll react!
Sue, I think the cute pool bug probably lived. What's weird is that I didn't even think about getting the pool net to get it out! That shows you how irrational I am when it comes to bugs! Miguel's such a wonderful guy. I can't guarantee I'll be relocating any spiders or scorpions.
Vee, I went through an insect listing online and the only one that looked anything like it was called a walkingstick. Never seen one before!
I'm not as much a bug phobic as you but a snake will send me well out of my way. I have an abnormal fear of snakes for some reason.
Bennie, when I was growing up, I couldn't even touch a picture of a snake or spider in the encyclopedia. I still handle National Geographic's very carefully! And sometime my son will have to tell the story about our encounter with a tarantula out hiking in the woods. There are no pictures of that incident because I ran! And screamed! And screamed! And ran!
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