The Hobbit Hole VII - But not yet weary are our feet...

[Wneighbor]

2J will shoot me for this.

[HairOfTheDog]

Tansy is poison and will kill livestock, that is why it is controlled.... One plant won't kill them, but it is a stored toxin that will build up over their lifetime.

Around here I encourage my big ole ant hills. Wait till you see 'em! Ants take apart manure piles after the fly larvae.

[Wneighbor]

Not talking about big ol' ant hills like red ants. We encourage those here because they are reputed to kill off fire ants. Though I can't prove that by the proliferation of fire ants and the disappearance of red ants. However, it is said that too much pesticide has killed out red ants allowing fire ants to overrun us.

We use tansy to eliminate those little sugar ants and stuff that get into the house - or cat food - or things like that. Grama called 'em something else...

[HairOfTheDog]

It is a hideous plant..... I can't believe you used to pot it!

[Fedora]

Actually, tansy is a natural ant repellant. I grow it in pots to brew up an infusion to pour around anyplace ants might try to venture.

Know anything like that which works for ladybugs or flies?--those are the worst nuisance bugs around here.

[Fedora]

I went to the bookstore on lunch hour (didn't buy anything but I did read two chapters of a manga)

What manga did you read?

BTW, I'm supposed to remind you to email me your story, so this is your reminder before I forget :)

[Overtaxed]

Ladybugs are our friends...they eat aphids.

[JenB]

Samurai Depper Kyo. Looks odd. May have to read a few more.

Yeah, I'll send once I'm done with my steenking taxes. I owe a little more than I thought, blood-sucking government weasels...

[JenB]

Make that 'Deeper'. Not that the title makes that much sense anyway.

[Fedora]

Ladybugs are our friends...they eat aphids.

The ones here are an artificially-introduced breed which doesn't eat aphids. They congregate on the windows outside the house and crawl in continuously. I've had days where I've had to kill several dozen in my room alone; and when they die they give off this horrible smell. For a while there were even more on the skylight--had to use a vacuum extension to get rid of them. That helped, but they still come in through the windows, maybe a dozen a day now.

[Fedora]

Yeah, I'll send once I'm done with my steenking taxes. I owe a little more than I thought, blood-sucking government weasels...

You could make government weasel vampires the villains in your next story! :)

Never heard of Samurai Depper Kyo. How is it?

[Overtaxed]

Artificially ingroduced? If they don't eat aphids, what's the point?

[Fedora]

>Samurai Depper Kyo.

Make that 'Deeper'. Not that the title makes that much sense anyway.

And here I thought it starred Johnny Depp or something! :)

[JenB]

It was kind of weird. Apparently some sort of 16th Century Japan fairy tale, with feudal lords and... demons, I think, though the one girl carries a very primitive gun.

The main character's this wandering medicine seller called Kyo-something, only he apparently shares his body with a demon called Kyo. I only read two chapters so it doesn't make much sense yet, though the opening felt like a Kenshin ripoff (girl accuses guy of being legendary killer, guy proves he's harmless, bad guys show up and threaten girl and innocent people, guy shows l33t fighting skillz and reveals himself to be legendary killer after all, but he's not so bad)

However I have been told they go in very different directions, and this Kyo-guy isn't as nice as Kenshin, that he isn't. Kenshin's a gentleman and this guy tried to spy on the girl while she was bathing.

[Fedora]

Artificially ingroduced? If they don't eat aphids, what's the point?

They were introduced to control aphids, but they don't--there's a ton here and there are still aphids. Here's how the problem started:

Invasion of the 'ladybugs'

The weather has warmed up, and the insect commonly known as the ladybug has taken over IU. Actually named the "Asian Ladybird Beetle," the little spotted bugs have been wreaking havoc on students whether they are walking to class, trying to eat or just attempting to spend some time in their rooms.

"Honestly, I think I killed over 15 in an hour the other night," freshman Chase Weigt said. "I think they may be coming in the air conditioner or something. All I do know is that every time I kill one, it seems like another just takes its place."

The bugs originally come from Korea and were brought to the country by our own government.

"(The bugs) were introduced a number of years ago by the (U.S. Department of Agriculture) to biologically control aphids," IU Entomologist Dr. Marc Lame said. "(USDA) thought they would be OK, but they got going slow and the USDA forgot about them."

"They turned out to be much better competition than our own ladybugs, and it turns out that they love this part of the world," Lame said. "They are a much worse pest now than the pests they were brought in to alleviate."

Despite the name, these bugs are not very "lady-like." Though the myth that these bugs are bad luck to kill isn't necessarily true, ladybugs seem to be using that myth to their advantage to get away with whatever they please. The bugs can bite, produce noxious odors and even cause allergic reaction.

"I don't care about that old tale about bad luck," freshman Mike Nilles said. "I'll kill them with mirrors if I have to. They are just ridiculous."

The reason why so many of the beetles are out now is because this breed requires a frost before going into dispersal. After the past few weeks' chilly weather and now the sudden warmth, it is prime season for an entourage of beetles.

"They are looking for cracks and crevices for the winter," Lame said.

[RosieCotton]

I did my workout. Did Day 2, but without as long of a walk break. I think on Wednesday I'll try for twenty minutes, but if I don't think I'm gonna make it, I'll break it into ten and ten with a walk in between. It'll be close.

Having pork ribs and kale with garlic and onions and a vinegar / soy sauce mix drizzled over the top. Fitday says I don't get enough greens, and kale was on sale, so I figured I'd try it. Intimidating stuff, though...they had special bags for it 'cause the bunches are so hugh and long. It's OK...think I prefer spinach, but it's hard to get good fresh spinach up here.

Still cold. Still spitting snow.

[RosieCotton]

I bet your mint made it! It takes a lot to kill out mint. Typically the only thing that will is drought coupled with mowing.

I should know in a coupla weeks! If it comes back, I'll transplant some to other parts of the yard.

I still want to get some wild thyme, too! It's all OVER the place in certain areas...just gotta take the time to look.

[Fedora]

Sounds interesting! I wonder if the Kenshin parallels are a common theme in Japanese heroes or something. In Chinese legends there are certain heroes from Chinese opera who stories tend to accumulate around, sometimes attaching themselves to historical figures.

[Fedora]

I did my workout. Did Day 2, but without as long of a walk break. I think on Wednesday I'll try for twenty minutes, but if I don't think I'm gonna make it, I'll break it into ten and ten with a walk in between.

Good strategy! :)

That pork ribs mix sounds good! I like spinach, too--have some with Popeye on the bag in the fridge right now :)

It snowed here a little, too, this weekend, but it was just flurries and went away pretty fast. Sounds like you're getting a little more than here.

[Wneighbor]

It's not hideous! I still have 2 pots of it! Very nice it is. And gets rid of ants.