# Hate is a strong word.



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 1, 2014)

My three most despised insects in order"

1. Ticks

2. Horsefly - not only do they hurt when they bite, but one of those little buggers bit PAG on top of her bald head when she was just barely able to crawl, and left a bloody wound.  I have had an intense desire to obliterate them from the planet ever since.  Bite me and you're not my freind.  Bite my baby and beware my wrath.  Yep, that but met a quick and violent end.

3. Mosquito

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


----------



## mmyap (Jul 3, 2014)

1.  Wasp.  I stepped on one while barefoot.  That was when I was like 9 and fifty years later I still remember it.  My foot swelled up so much I couldn't even walk on it.  And that was just one, I know they come in swarms.  (shudder)

2.  Mosquito's, because I live in a tropical climate and mosquito bites come in multiples.  You never have just one or two.  You look like you have hives.  And they itch like a mufflebutter!!!!!

3.  Worms.  I know worms are beneficial and all that.....I wish I could get over the phobia so I could use a worm composter thingy.  But I can't.  Insert Heebie - Jeebie dance here.


----------



## creative (Jul 3, 2014)

.....(wonders what these little creatures thinks of us 






 )


----------



## CraigC (Jul 3, 2014)

creative said:


> .....(wonders what these little creatures thinks of us
> 
> 
> 
> ...



They don't.


----------



## creative (Jul 3, 2014)

Fair point...but they sense things.  Ever seen a spider "freeze" when we scream at it?


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 3, 2014)

Well, mosquitoes think of us as a giant buffet...luckily, they don't like what I have to offer.


----------



## creative (Jul 3, 2014)

Yes I draw the line at fleas and mosquitoes, i.e. have no qualms in killing them.

However, we pass on the fear of spiders to our children and it is mostly irrational (unless you live somewhere that spiders are poisonous).  They can be removed with the glass and card technique, i.e. placing a large glass over them then slipping a card underneath to form a trap.  Then they can be taken outdoors and set free.  

Also, if a fly is in the room, I find that by opening a window they will gravitate to the draught and fly out.  No need for flysprays.


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 3, 2014)

I will add yellow jacket hornets to Chief's list.  Mowing the lawn one day, I ran over one of their holes in the lawn, and a bunch of them flew up my shorts legs and kept stinging and stinging.  Weeks of pain!


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## creative (Jul 3, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> I will add yellow jacket hornets to Chief's list.  Mowing the lawn one day, I ran over one of their holes in the lawn, and a bunch of them flew up my shorts legs and kept stinging and stinging.  Weeks of pain!


Wow didn't know wasps made their homes in holes in lawns.  Here in UK they make paper-type nests under roof crevices.


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 3, 2014)

Not wasps, hornets.  The wasps around here are really sweet and mild compared to yellow jackets, which are evil and will even fly into your pop can and sting your lip when you take a sip.  Wasps also build paper nests here.

I guess technically they're all wasps.  Yellow jackets are black and yellow striped with really mean looking faces.  Paper wasps are  all black.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## cave76 (Jul 3, 2014)

Chief was right to place ticks at the top of his list. The other insects are just a momentary irritation, unless a person has an allergic reaction to them.

An infected tick, if it's infected and not all are, can mean years, decades a lifetime of suffering it its bite isn't treated immediately: Like IMMEDIATELY.


----------



## taxlady (Jul 3, 2014)

cave76 said:


> Chief was right to place ticks at the top of his list. *The other insects are just a momentary irritation, unless a person has an allergic reaction to them.*
> 
> An infected tick, if it's infected and not all are, can mean years, decades a lifetime of suffering it its bite isn't treated immediately: Like IMMEDIATELY.


I beg to differ. I believe that mosquitoes are the animal that is responsible for more human deaths than any other animal (humans are second). Think yellow fever, malaria, ...


----------



## taxlady (Jul 3, 2014)

I'm not usually allergic to mosquitoes, but I have been bitten so much on two occasions that I swelled up. The second time the pharmacist recommended an anti-histamine and that helped a lot.


----------



## CarolPa (Jul 3, 2014)

I never get bit by mosquitos, but DH gets totally bit up.  I told him it's because he eats a lot of sweets and I don't.  

They say that Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil will keep them away.


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 3, 2014)

taxlady said:


> I beg to differ. I believe that mosquitoes are the animal that is responsible for more human deaths than any other animal (humans are second). Think yellow fever, malaria, ...




That's right, number 1 killer in the animal kingdom.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## taxlady (Jul 3, 2014)

CarolPa said:


> I never get bit by mosquitos, but DH gets totally bit up.  I told him it's because he eats a lot of sweets and I don't.
> 
> They say that Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil will keep them away.


They say lots of things work against mosquitoes. The only one I have heard (here) that I haven't tried yet is citronella. The only thing that works for me so far is DEET, the stuff in Muskol and Deep Woods Off.


----------



## cave76 (Jul 3, 2014)

taxlady said:


> I beg to differ. I believe that mosquitoes are the animal that is responsible for more human deaths than any other animal (humans are second). Think yellow fever, malaria, ...



You're right, taxlady---- mosquitoes ARE responsible for many deaths. I was speaking about insects/*arachnids* in the U.S. and probably the UK.

To explain my  post,* I didn't say that ticks were responsible for many human deaths,* to the extent that malaria transmitting mosquitoes are in tropical countries. Perhaps you mis-read my post? 

(But I know many people who suffer from long-term Lyme who, at their darkest hours, almost wish for death. )

But they (infected ticks) have been documented as the reason for many a heart block death and other serious comorbidities.

According to the CDC almost all of the cases of malaria in the US are from people who have traveled to other parts of the world. And thank goodness they can receive treatment here.

Edit here---- my bolding isn't yelling---- it's simply to draw attention to a certain phrase or word.


----------



## cave76 (Jul 3, 2014)

CarolPa said:


> They say that Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil will keep them away.



I've heard that it will keep mosquitoes away also. Not so much, ticks. I had one dog that would get huge swellings at mosquito bite sites. I think she would have preferred a mosquito bite than the smell of that bath oil.


----------



## taxlady (Jul 3, 2014)

cave76 said:


> You're right, taxlady---- mosquitoes ARE responsible for many deaths. I was speaking about insects/*arachnids* in the U.S. and probably the UK.
> 
> To explain my  post,* I didn't say that ticks were responsible for many human deaths,* to the extent that malaria transmitting mosquitoes are in tropical countries. Perhaps you mis-read my post? And you probably just mis-spoke that ticks are animals? I know you don't think that.
> 
> ...


I was only disagreeing with this part of your post, "The other insects are just a momentary irritation, unless a person has an allergic reaction to them." Your statement may be true in North America, nowadays, but it wasn't always true.

Maybe we define animals differently. Ticks are in the animalia kingdom. That's what I consider animals.


----------



## cave76 (Jul 3, 2014)

taxlady said:


> Maybe we define animals differently. Ticks are in the animalia kingdom. That's what I consider animals.



You're right, of course.


----------



## Daizymae (Jul 3, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> I will add yellow jacket hornets to Chief's list.  Mowing the lawn one day, I ran over one of their holes in the lawn, and a bunch of them flew up my shorts legs and kept stinging and stinging.  Weeks of pain!



What an image!  I don't mean to laugh at your suffering, but just the way you described the event made me howl!  Because something similar happened to me.  

I was poking through a pile of brush looking for kindling one crisp fall day.  Big mistake, girlie.  I disturbed a wasps' nest, or is it hornet, I dunno, but they don't take kindly to being bothered.  A big pack of them exited the pile of brush and went to work on me.  I ran faster than I ever thought I could (I am middleaged) to the house, forgetting to even close the door behind me.  Yes, they followed me into the house. 

Final paragraph:  I got 13 bites that I could see, but the swelling went down in a couple of days and I was all right.  I did not suffer as bad as you apparently did; could be a different variety of wasp, or you are more susceptible, perhaps mildly allergic.


----------



## CraigC (Jul 3, 2014)

creative said:


> Yes I draw the line at fleas and mosquitoes, i.e. have no qualms in killing them.
> 
> However, we pass on the fear of spiders to our children and it is mostly irrational *(unless you live somewhere that spiders are poisonous)*.  They can be removed with the glass and card technique, i.e. placing a large glass over them then slipping a card underneath to form a trap.  Then they can be taken outdoors and set free.
> 
> Also, if a fly is in the room, I find that by opening a window they will gravitate to the draught and fly out.  No need for flysprays.



Some reptiles, some fish, shrews, platypus and some insects are venomous. Poison is generally associated with some plants and laboratories.


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 3, 2014)

Daizymae said:


> What an image!  I don't mean to laugh at your suffering, but just the way you described the event made me howl!  Because something similar happened to me.
> 
> I was poking through a pile of brush looking for kindling one crisp fall day.  Big mistake, girlie.  I disturbed a wasps' nest, or is it hornet, I dunno, but they don't take kindly to being bothered.  A big pack of them exited the pile of brush and went to work on me.  I ran faster than I ever thought I could (I am middleaged) to the house, forgetting to even close the door behind me.  Yes, they followed me into the house.
> 
> Final paragraph:  I got 13 bites that I could see, but the swelling went down in a couple of days and I was all right.  I did not suffer as bad as you apparently did; could be a different variety of wasp, or you are more susceptible, perhaps mildly allergic.



Yellow Jackets, let me count the stings:

7 years of age, stepped on a yellow jacket nest by a stream, got stung all over my left leg and arm, multiple stings.  Ran home, DM put baking soda slurry on stings.  Was good a few hours later.  Made me litteraly scream.

9 years old, stepped on a yellow jacket nest in a large ditch on the edge of some woods.  Got stung same as previous experience, but on right side.  Ran home for the same treatment.  Again, pain was gone a few hours later.

Put on a jacket, found a bumble bee in the left sleeve.  Got stung.  Got treated.

Riding a bicycle, ran into a flying yellow jacket, went down my shirt, got stung on the chest.  Lived with it till the pain was gone, a couple hours.

Riding motor cycle, got hit in the neck by a yellow jacket, got into my helmet.  By the time I got the bike stopped, and before I could get the helmet off, it got mad and stung me three times behind the right ear.  Lived with it til the pain went away.

Put on a seat belt and found a yellow jacket on the back of the belt.  got stung on the belly.

Swimming in a pool, in Subic City, Phillipines, on base (was a U.S. sailor).  Someone disturbed a nest of something that stung.  Got stung on the right forearm while doing the Australian Crawl stroke.

Stuck my left arm into a ceiling at work while running telecom cable.  A yellow jacket found my forearm, and yep, I yelped.

The last one, riding a motor cycle on the way home from work.  Got stung on the right side of my right knee.  Looked down and there was a bee caught where the pant leg gathered.  Brushed it away and when home, complained to DW.  Next day, same time, same place, same activity, glanced down at the gathering on my pant leg and saw another bee stuck in the material folds.  Brushed it away before I got stung.  It spooked me to the extent that I checked my pant leg every night when riding home, until the insect season was over, and it was time to put the bike away for winter.

And yet, I don't dislike yellow jackets and am not afraid of stinging insects  unless they are on me.  I've found that generally, if I leave them alone, they leave me alone.  Every time I've gotten stung, I somehow put a nest, or individual members in distress.  They've never just come looking for trouble.  Besides, I once watched a single yellow jacket eat 4 houseflies, and a horsefly.  And I detest houseflies, and hate horseflies.  Wasps, hornets, and bees are hugely beneficial insects.  I've had a few other stings as well, but I've cataloged enough of the episodes here.  I still like bees, hornets, and wasps.  I like spiders too.  But as with stinging insects, don't let them get on me.  Reflexes take over and their lives are extinguished.


----------



## Daizymae (Jul 3, 2014)

Did you remember all your stings, or did you write this in a diary?  Just curious.  You appear to have a helluva memory!!!  My dad kept bees, they were all over the farm,  and of course stings are going to happen.  My dad would quietly remove the sting and send us on our way.  No to-do was made.  I guess baking soda slurry would've been nice, though...


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 3, 2014)

Daizymae said:


> Did you remember all your stings, or did you write this in a diary?  Just curious.  You appear to have a helluva memory!!!  My dad kept bees, they were all over the farm,  and of course stings are going to happen.  My dad would quietly remove the sting and send us on our way.  No to-do was made.  I guess baking soda slurry would've been nice, though...



Memory is a tricky thing.  I remember every sting.  They made an impression in my memory.  I can remember clearly events from when I was 3 years old.  But do you think that I can remember the three items that DW will ask me to pick up from the store?  And poor memorization skills was a real challenge while I was immersed in university math courses while getting my B.S. EET degree.

Yet, I heard four of Mason Williams' "Them Poems", and they stuck in my head, word for word, the first time I heard them.  DW isn't especially fond of them.  They include - "Them Hog Liver Likers", "Them Sticker Gitters", "Them Duck Pluckers", and her least favorite of all - "Them Moose Goosers".  Of course I taught them to my own children when they were young.  Now, those same people, who thought they were funny back then, roll their eyes at me when I say them to my grandkids.  And I'm not allowed to teach them - "Them Moose Goosers". 

I'll just have to do that Secret Grandpa thing with them.

Oh, and another pest I really dislike is people who enjoy causing trouble for others.  The only problem is that the law won't allow you to swat 'em, or spray them with Deet.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


----------



## taxlady (Jul 3, 2014)

Memory sure is funny. I have the same "shopping list problem". My first distinct memory is of sitting in the gravelled area of our yard and getting my bum bitten by ants, in a diaper. Some things just make an impression on the mind.


----------



## Uncle Bob (Jul 3, 2014)

Fire Ants

Skeeters

Roaches


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 3, 2014)

Red Ants

Brown Recluse Spiders and Hobos or Wolf because they look like Brown Recluses

Anything crawling on me...


----------



## taxlady (Jul 3, 2014)

We don't have poisonous spiders living here, so I wasn't worried. There was a spider in my kitchen sink and it didn't seem able to get out by itself. I let it crawl onto my hand and put it on the window sill. I'm a live and let live kinda woman.


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 3, 2014)

Uncle Bob said:


> Fire Ants
> 
> Skeeters
> 
> Roaches



Uncle Bob, I haven't seen you around for a while.  If you've been away, welcome back.  Good to see ya.  Makes my day better.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


----------



## creative (Jul 4, 2014)

> Originally Posted by *creative*
> 
> 
> Yes I draw the line at fleas and mosquitoes, i.e. have no qualms in killing them.
> ...





CraigC said:


> Some reptiles, some fish, shrews, platypus and some insects are venomous. Poison is generally associated with some plants and laboratories.


Of course...I was discussing the harmless ones that we needlessly kill (and offering a solution), e.g. just because we are scared of a spider.


----------



## CraigC (Jul 4, 2014)

creative said:


> Of course...I was discussing the harmless ones that we needlessly kill (and offering a solution), e.g. just because we are scared of a spider.



Faced with a native venomous snake, how would you handle it?

Invasive species should be destroyed on sight!


----------



## creative (Jul 4, 2014)

CraigC said:


> Faced with a native venomous snake, how would you handle it?
> 
> Invasive species should be destroyed on sight!


You have missed my point....I was addressing HARMLESS creatures.


----------



## CraigC (Jul 4, 2014)

creative said:


> You have missed my point....I was addressing HARMLESS creatures.



No, I got your "point" loud and clear. Instinct is what drives creature behavior. It is human stupidity that makes them "HARMFUL". I get all warm and fuzzy every time some moron gets bit trying to kill a venomous snake.

I tried to explain to someone on another forum that his dog was not bitten by a copperhead, by describing what happens after a crotalid envenomation. He couldn't grasp that the venom begins the digestive process, causing necrotic tissue damage. His dog had some swelling and redness in the "bite" area and was "fit as a fiddle" the next morning. The guy had let the dog out at 10:00 PM to potty, heard a yelp and the dogs paw had some redness and swelling. He went outside, saw a copperhead and killed it with a shotgun. Even though he didn't witness the "bite", the copperhead was the culprit. You just can't fix stupid.


----------



## creative (Jul 4, 2014)

> Originally Posted by *creative*
> 
> _You have missed my point....I was addressing HARMLESS creatures.  _


 


CraigC said:


> No, I got your "point" loud and clear. Instinct is what drives creature behavior. It is human stupidity that makes them "HARMFUL". I get all warm and fuzzy every time some moron gets bit trying to kill a venomous snake.
> 
> I tried to explain to someone on another forum that his dog was not bitten by a copperhead, by describing what happens after a crotalid envenomation. He couldn't grasp that the venom begins the digestive process, causing necrotic tissue damage. His dog had some swelling and redness in the "bite" area and was "fit as a fiddle" the next morning. The guy had let the dog out at 10:00 PM to potty, heard a yelp and the dogs paw had some redness and swelling. He went outside, saw a copperhead and killed it with a shotgun. Even though he didn't witness the "bite", the copperhead was the culprit. You just can't fix stupid.


Anyone can get bitten by a _venomous_ snake...that's a totally different point and NOT what I was addressing.  Of course action should be taken. That's so obvious that it hardly needs pointing out does it?   Well perhaps to you, since you think I have this same kind attitude to poisonous creatures...i.e. you say you got my point but clearly didn't! So, what you are laughing at is your own misunderstanding!  Ah well, never mind....

However, stupid is killing a *harmless* creature just because of being scared...stupid, unnecessary and unkind.


----------



## CraigC (Jul 4, 2014)

creative said:


> Anyone can get bitten by a _venomous_ snake...that's a totally different point and NOT what I was addressing.*  Of course action should be taken. *That's so obvious that it hardly needs pointing out does it?   Well perhaps to you, since you think I have this same kind attitude to poisonous creatures...i.e. you say you got my point but clearly didn't! So, what you are laughing at is your own misunderstanding!  Ah well, never mind....
> 
> However, stupid is killing a *harmless* creature just because of being scared...stupid, unnecessary and unkind.



What action should be taken?


----------



## creative (Jul 4, 2014)

CraigC said:


> What action should be taken?


Depends on the situation.  I was on an Italian mountainside and suddenly confronted by a snake that reared its head in attacking position.  I had nothing on me to use for protection so I turned to my natural instincts.  (Some might have fled but I felt that might lead to a sudden attack).  

I drew on my knowledge that dogs respond to the tone of voice, rather than the words....so I spoke slowly and softly to the snake.  The attacking position is due to the snake feeling threatened.  I tried to reassure the snake that I was not about to kill it....then, slowly, walked away!

Let me guess what your reply would be?  Shoot it?  That was not an option I had and the snake had every right to be there since the mountain was its home, i.e. it was me that was trespassing.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jul 4, 2014)

creative said:


> I drew on my knowledge that dogs respond to the tone of voice, rather than the words....so I spoke slowly and softly to the snake.  The attacking position is due to the snake feeling threatened.  I tried to reassure the snake that I was not about to kill it....then, slowly, walked away!



Dogs have evolved with people over thousands of years to respond to our voices and body language. Don't expect other animals to behave the same way. And btw, dogs do learn words.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jul 4, 2014)

This just came through my Facebook feed: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/what-does-viper-venom-do-blood


----------



## creative (Jul 4, 2014)

> Originally Posted by *creative*
> 
> 
> I drew on my  knowledge that dogs respond to the tone of voice, rather than the  words....so I spoke slowly and softly to the snake.  The attacking  position is due to the snake feeling threatened.  I tried to reassure  the snake that I was not about to kill it....then, slowly, walked away!





GotGarlic said:


> Dogs have evolved with people over thousands of years to respond to our voices and body language. Don't expect other animals to behave the same way. And btw, dogs do learn words.


Yes of course dogs learn words...but, as I said, they respond more to tone than the words.  Try saying "good doggie" in a shouting, scolding voice and you will see! I am spiritually focused and used my intuition regarding tone of voice.  Voices emanate a resonance i.e. a vibration - it is universally so.
Also, my tactic worked!


----------



## CraigC (Jul 4, 2014)

creative said:


> Depends on the situation.  I was on an Italian mountainside and suddenly confronted by a snake that reared its head in attacking position.  I had nothing on me to use for protection so I turned to my natural instincts.  (Some might have fled but I felt that might lead to a sudden attack).
> 
> I drew on my knowledge that dogs respond to the tone of voice, rather than the words....so I spoke slowly and softly to the snake.  The attacking position is due to the snake feeling threatened.  I tried to reassure the snake that I was not about to kill it....then, slowly, walked away!
> 
> Let me guess what your reply would be?  Shoot it?  That was not an option I had and the snake had every right to be there since the mountain was its home, i.e. it was me that was trespassing.



Snakes don't have ears. They do not have an "attack" mode unless provoked by a moron. (see TV sensationalist, ie the Crocodile Hunter) They get defensive. Their first instinct is to leave.

LOL, have you not paid attention to my avatar? I don't shoot snakes or run them over. I move them from harms way, venomous or not. Unless of course they are invasives.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jul 4, 2014)

creative said:


> Yes of course dogs learn words...but, as I said, they respond more to tone than the words.  Try saying "good doggie" in a shouting, scolding voice and you will see! I am spiritually focused and used my intuition regarding tone of voice.  Voices emanate a resonance i.e. a vibration - it is universally so.
> Also, my tactic worked!



Well, again, snakes aren't dogs and don't respond the same way to people. And correlation does not mean causation, i.e., the fact that you did a thing does not mean the next thing that happened was caused by what you did.


----------



## creative (Jul 4, 2014)

CraigC said:


> Snakes don't have ears. They do not have an "attack" mode unless provoked by a moron. (see TV sensationalist, ie the Crocodile Hunter) They get defensive. Their first instinct is to leave.
> 
> LOL, have you not paid attention to my avatar? I don't shoot snakes or run them over. I move them from harms way, venomous or not. Unless of course they are invasives.


I know they don't have ears but noise vibration is a soundwave and these are picked up by their skin, muscles and bones that carry it to their inner "ear".

It was in attack mode, like a cobra...i.e. _raising its head upright_ so it appeared in the shape of the letter L.  I hadn't provoked it at all...just came across it suddenly at very close quarters.

I am glad to hear you do not harm them.


----------



## Roll_Bones (Jul 4, 2014)

CarolPa said:


> I never get bit by mosquitos, but DH gets totally bit up.  I told him it's because he eats a lot of sweets and I don't.
> They say that Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil will keep them away.



I cannot remember the last time I was stung by a mosquito.
My wife gets stung each time she ventures outside it seems.
We have come to the conclusion beer is my repellent.  Since I drink lots of beer, it seems to maybe have something to do with mosquito's lack of interest in me.



Daizymae said:


> Did you remember all your stings, or did you write this in a diary?  Just curious.  You appear to have a helluva memory!!!  My dad kept bees, they were all over the farm,  and of course stings are going to happen.  My dad would quietly remove the sting and send us on our way.  No to-do was made.  I guess baking soda slurry would've been nice, though...



Hornet stings are not the same as honey bee stings.  Hornet stings hurt so bad, it could make a grown man cry.  Hornets are also very aggressive if you get anywhere near or disturb their nest. Be it in the ground or hanging from a tree.
Not to mention certain individuals can die from any sting.  So, stings are a bigger deal than you make them out to be.  



CraigC said:


> No, I got your "point" loud and clear. Instinct is what drives creature behavior. It is human stupidity that makes them "HARMFUL". I get all warm and fuzzy every time some moron gets bit trying to kill a venomous snake.
> 
> I tried to explain to someone on another forum that his dog was not bitten by a copperhead, by describing what happens after a crotalid envenomation. He couldn't grasp that the venom begins the digestive process, causing necrotic tissue damage. His dog had some swelling and redness in the "bite" area and was "fit as a fiddle" the next morning. The guy had let the dog out at 10:00 PM to potty, heard a yelp and the dogs paw had some redness and swelling. He went outside, saw a copperhead and killed it with a shotgun. Even though he didn't witness the "bite", the copperhead was the culprit. You just can't fix stupid.





CraigC said:


> Snakes don't have ears. They do not have an "attack" mode unless provoked by a moron. (see TV sensationalist, ie the Crocodile Hunter) They get defensive. Their first instinct is to leave.
> 
> LOL, have you not paid attention to my avatar? I don't shoot snakes or run them over. I move them from harms way, venomous or not. Unless of course they are invasives.



It seems this hate for snakes is alive and well here in the south.
A shovel being the choice of weapon in most cases with a gun shot coming in second.
Purposeful running over of any kind of snake is considered "doing the right thing".  I was reprimanded once for swerving to miss a snake crossing the road.
I have come to the conclusion as to why this feeling is so prevalent.
Remember the story about Adam and Eve?
I have this feeling it really just boils down to the belief that all snakes are inherently bad.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 4, 2014)

Aragog Lives...


----------



## taxlady (Jul 4, 2014)

PF, that spider is adorable.

I seem to have missed getting the gene that makes us afraid of snakes and spiders. I have never been afraid of them. I grew up in California where there are black widow spiders and rattle snakes. I learned to respect those, without fearing them. I have been the accidental aggressor to each of those. I remained calm and wasn't bitten. They went on their way.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 4, 2014)

taxlady said:


> PF, that spider is adorable.
> 
> I seem to have missed getting the gene that makes us afraid of snakes and spiders. I have never been afraid of them. I grew up in California where there are black widow spiders and rattle snakes. I learned to respect those, without fearing them. I have been the accidental aggressor to each of those. I remained calm and wasn't bitten. They went on their way.



I fell into a three foot high red ant hill (lived in Guam at the time) when I was 4...it's strong in my memory.  Dad used gasoline to get the ants off of me, to this day the smell of gasoline makes my stomach churn. Not crazy about ants, either.

I also had the experience of Daddy Long Legs using me for shelter in a rain storm...they were all over me.

Anything crawling on me is dead...


----------



## Andy M. (Jul 4, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> ...It seems this hate for snakes is alive and well here in the south...




SO is severely snake-o-phobic.  She won't even say the word or even look at them on TV.  When she was young and married in North Carolina, she saw a snake in her yard.  They soon moved back to Massachusetts.

I thought I was going to lose her when she saw one in the yard here a few years ago.  But she has been strong and I'm still stuck with her.  I mean blessed with her presence.


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 4, 2014)

taxlady said:


> PF, that spider is adorable.
> 
> I seem to have missed getting the gene that makes us afraid of snakes and spiders. I have never been afraid of them. I grew up in California where there are black widow spiders and rattle snakes. I learned to respect those, without fearing them. I have been the accidental aggressor to each of those. I remained calm and wasn't bitten. They went on their way.




I'm not afraid of them either, and find both fascinating, and beautiful.  They might startle me when I don't expect it, but I talk to both species as well.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 4, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Aragog Lives...




Awwww....


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## GotGarlic (Jul 4, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> It seems this hate for snakes is alive and well here in the south.



I *really* wish you would stop saying "here in the south" as if you speak for all Southerners.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jul 4, 2014)

taxlady said:


> PF, that spider is adorable.
> 
> I seem to have missed getting the gene that makes us afraid of snakes and spiders. I have never been afraid of them. I grew up in California where there are black widow spiders and rattle snakes. I learned to respect those, without fearing them. I have been the accidental aggressor to each of those. I remained calm and wasn't bitten. They went on their way.



My dad had a boa constrictor as a pet when I was a small child. I took its skin to school for show-and-tell one year. Growing up in Michigan, garter snakes were everywhere. We didn't bother them.  We have one living under our shed right now. 

I also had a high-school friend whose boyfriend had a boa constrictor. She was terrified of snakes. I carried it around a party at his house once with it wrapped around my waist. She freaked out.


----------



## Addie (Jul 4, 2014)

Washington State is loaded with spiders. My in-laws paid me to clean out the webs on their property and in their homes. Extra if I killed a spider. I would have done it for nothing. I have no problem with killing crawlers, like spiders, roaches, centipede, silverfish, ants, any bug that can crawl around my home. And mosquitos don't stand a chance around me. They are dead before they know it. We have the Equine Encephalitis in this state every year. And there is always at least one death. 

Add scorpions to that list. Found one in my kitchen sink in Texas. Poured scalding hot water over it until I was sure it was dead. Then I called my neighbor to please come and take it out of the sink for me. I was  pregnant with Poo at the time.


----------



## Janet H (Jul 4, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> It seems this hate for snakes is alive and well here in the south.
> A shovel being the choice of weapon in most cases with a gun shot coming in second.
> Purposeful running over of any kind of snake is considered "doing the right thing".  I was reprimanded once for swerving to miss a snake crossing the road.
> I have come to the conclusion as to why this feeling is so prevalent.
> ...




I have a different take on this... most folks have a hard time distinguishing one snake from another and while many are harmless, some are not.  One of the big issues is that snakes often turn up in surprising places where you don't expect them.  People know this and perhaps overact.

Years ago I was bitten by a copperhead in western NC. I was IN my house, in fact I was in my bathroom and sat down on "the seat". There was a snake behind the hinges and it bit me. I spent many days in the hospital and all these years later, still have a a visceral reaction to snakes, regardless of the variety. In my head I know most are harmless, still my first inclination is to get a shovel.....


----------



## Cheryl J (Jul 4, 2014)

I get the heebie jeebies with snakes when I first see them. Can't help it.  We have the highly venomous Mojave greens out here, but I can only count on one hand the times I have seen one, in 40 years of living out here and roaming the desert.

Whenever I go walking in the desert looking at wildflowers and arrowhead hunting (sshhh, don't tell anyone ), I take my 5' long "snake stick".  I tap it on the ground while I'm walking. It lets them know I'm there and too big to eat, and they can go on their way. They serve a very useful purpose in keeping the rodent population down.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 4, 2014)

Cheryl J said:


> I get the heebie jeebies with snakes when I first see them. Can't help it.  We have the highly venomous Mojave greens out here, but I can only count on one hand the times I have seen one, in 40 years of living out here and roaming the desert.
> 
> Whenever I go walking in the desert looking at wildflowers and arrowhead hunting (sshhh, don't tell anyone ), I take my 5' long "snake stick".  I tap it on the ground while I'm walking. It lets them know I'm there and too big to eat, and they can go on their way. They serve a very useful purpose in keeping the rodent population down.



We have noisemakers, only in our case we are letting the bears know...


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 4, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> We have noisemakers, only in our case we are letting the bears know...




Heh.  Along with the bells and hot peppers.  That are found in bear poop.


----------



## Cheryl J (Jul 4, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> We have noisemakers, only in our case we are letting the bears know...


 
OMGoodness, princess....we all have some critters but you have some big 'uns.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 4, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> Heh.  Along with the bells and hot peppers.  That are found in bear poop.



Yep!!!


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 4, 2014)

Cheryl J said:


> OMGoodness, princess....we all have some critters but you have some big 'uns.



Bears we can see coming, snakes...not so much and mountain lions, forget about it.  Make sure your shoes are tied...


----------



## taxlady (Jul 4, 2014)

One of the most dangerous rattle snakes is the pygmy rattler, found in Ontario. The reason it's dangerous is because it's hard to hear the rattle and people step on them totally unawares. The poor rattler feels attacked and does what nature tells it to do in when it is attacked.

Most rattlers, if not totally surprised avoid humans. We're just too big to eat. A rattler would rather not waste venom on something it can't eat, unless it's absolutely necessary.


----------



## cave76 (Jul 5, 2014)

If you live in NY you can visit the American Museum of Natural History and see:

Spiders Alive!


----------



## Roll_Bones (Jul 5, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> I *really* wish you would stop saying "here in the south" as if you speak for all Southerners.



Sorry GG. Nothing personal.  But snakes are abhorred in the south and thats just a fact.  



Janet H said:


> I have a different take on this... most folks have a hard time distinguishing one snake from another and while many are harmless, some are not.  One of the big issues is that snakes often turn up in surprising places where you don't expect them.  People know this and perhaps overact.
> 
> Years ago I was bitten by a copperhead in western NC. I was IN my house, in fact I was in my bathroom and sat down on "the seat". There was a snake behind the hinges and it bit me. I spent many days in the hospital and all these years later, still have a a visceral reaction to snakes, regardless of the variety. In my head I know most are harmless, still my first inclination is to get a shovel.....



The difference is you are afraid of snakes. Many people just hate them for no reason.  They kill them on site without knowing or caring if the snake is dangerous or not.
This is common in the south.


----------



## CarolPa (Jul 5, 2014)

cave76 said:


> I've heard that it will keep mosquitoes away also. Not so much, ticks. I had one dog that would get huge swellings at mosquito bite sites. I think she would have preferred a mosquito bite than the smell of that bath oil.



Since my sense of smell doesn't work it doesn't bother me one bit!  LOL  I spend very little time outside due to my allergies.  Maybe that's why I don't get bit.


----------



## Daizymae (Jul 5, 2014)

taxlady said:


> We don't have poisonous spiders living here, so I wasn't worried. There was a spider in my kitchen sink and it didn't seem able to get out by itself. I let it crawl onto my hand and put it on the window sill. I'm a live and let live kinda woman.



You done right.  I do the same thing as you - save spiders.  I am amazed at people being terrified at non poisonous spiders.


----------



## CraigC (Jul 5, 2014)

taxlady said:


> One of the most dangerous rattle snakes is the pygmy rattler, found in Ontario. The reason it's dangerous is because it's hard to hear the rattle and people step on them totally unawares. The poor rattler feels attacked and does what nature tells it to do in when it is attacked.
> 
> Most rattlers, if not totally surprised avoid humans. We're just too big to eat. A rattler would rather not waste venom on something it can't eat, unless it's absolutely necessary.



I believe that in your neck of the woods, they are called Massasauga. Our pigmy RS is a little different.


----------



## taxlady (Jul 5, 2014)

CraigC said:


> I believe that in your neck of the woods, they are called Massasauga. Our pigmy RS is a little different.


I didn't realize there were other pygmy rattlesnakes, or I would have specified. You are correct in the name, but we usually misspell it Mississauga, probably because there is a town of that name in Ontario.


----------



## Addie (Jul 5, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Sorry GG. Nothing personal.  But snakes are abhorred in the south and thats just a fact.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



And with good reason. Most of the poisonous snakes in this country are found in the south or the western part of the country. They are cold blooded and won't find the warmth they need to survive up here in the northern part of the country.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jul 5, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Sorry GG. Nothing personal.  But snakes are abhorred in the south and thats just a fact.
> 
> The difference is you are afraid of snakes. Many people just hate them for no reason.  They kill them on site without knowing or caring if the snake is dangerous or not.
> This is common in the south.



It's not a fact; it's your opinion, based on your experience. My experience is different.


----------



## Addie (Jul 5, 2014)

I would have to go with Roll Bones. When I lived in Texas, you would see folks driving down the road and they would suddenly swerve. Not to avoid, but to kill. Usually a snake crossing the road. Any snake. I never saw anyone stop, wait for the snake to finish crossing and then continue. Nor did I ever see anyone stop, get out and ask the snake if it was friendly or not. Had I been driving, I would have swerve to kill one also. The Pirate used to catch them to turn them in for the bounty money.


----------



## Roll_Bones (Jul 6, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> It's not a fact; it's your opinion, based on your experience. My experience is different.



I bet if you polled folks from the south, and folks from up north, the majority of snake haters and purposeful killers of snakes reside in the south.

I am not saying its only the south.  But I am saying its generational and many people here would prefer a snake less world.
Fact.

I have lived here 20 years.  I have met exactly one person in all these years that would give a snake the benefit of the doubt and allow it to leave on its own.  The rest would have chopped of his head on sight.
Fact.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 6, 2014)

Enough...take it to PM, PLEASE!!!!


----------



## cjmmytunes (Jul 6, 2014)

"I don't like spiders and snakes, but that ain't what it takes to love me...." courtesy of Jim Stafford. 

Sent from my SM-N900R4 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## chiklitmanfan (Jul 6, 2014)

I live in the varmint and pest capitol of the world: The South. We have all 3 varieties of venomous snakes and most types of venomous spiders.  What do I hate? Pests that cause PAIN.  That would be those nasty German Yellowjackets, fire ants, and horse/deer flies.  I've been stung by yellowjackets right through my clothing. The stings are so intense that they cause muscle cramps and itch for a week.  Being bitten by a horse fly is like someone pulling a chunk of your skin out with pliers. And they're relentless....they never give up until they bite you or you smash them first.  And fire ants.  I have no idea how such a small insect can produce such an irritating stinging sensation.  Here in the south, one bout with the fire ants and you never sit down on a lawn or the ground again without inspecting the premises VERY carefully!


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 6, 2014)

chiklitmanfan said:


> I live in the varmint and pest capitol of the world: The South. We have all 3 varieties of venomous snakes and most types of venomous spiders.  What do I hate? Pests that cause PAIN.  That would be those nasty German Yellowjackets, fire ants, and horse/deer flies.  I've been stung by yellowjackets right through my clothing. The stings are so intense that they cause muscle cramps and itch for a week.  Being bitten by a horse fly is like someone pulling a chunk of your skin out with pliers. And they're relentless....they never give up until they bite you or you smash them first.  And fire ants.  I have no idea how such a small insect can produce such an irritating stinging sensation.  Here in the south, one bout with the fire ants and you never sit down on a lawn or the ground again without inspecting the premises VERY carefully!




We have all of those, other than fire ants, in the Midwest as well.  Our yellowjackets must have been the German ones, the stings last forever. Horse flies and deer flies are prevalent in both Canada and Mexico!  And I got chiggers from sitting on the grass in Florida, itchy, but not like the yellow jacket stings.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## cjmmytunes (Jul 6, 2014)

Almost everyone in my family is highly allergic to bees and such - needing to have allergy kits type of allergic. And they are all allergic to the cillian antibiotic family. Except me. Guess I got lucky - or unlucky. 

Sent from my SM-N900R4 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


----------



## Cheryl J (Jul 6, 2014)

We seem to have an abundance of tarantula hawks (wasps) this year. UGH. They're enormous (2" in length), can be aggressive, and have a very painful sting. I haven't seen any in the back yard yet today, maybe they have moved on. I sure hope so, my 3 yr. old grandson was here yesterday and I couldn't even let him go play in the yard. 

Tarantula Hawk - photos - video - DesertUSA

This part from the article did kinda give me a funny visual, though...LOL
 "_The wasps are "nectivorous," and they have been known to become "flight-challenged" after consuming fermented fruit."  
_


----------



## Addie (Jul 6, 2014)

chiklitmanfan said:


> I live in the varmint and pest capitol of the world: The South. We have all 3 varieties of venomous snakes and most types of venomous spiders.  What do I hate? Pests that cause PAIN.  That would be those nasty German Yellowjackets, fire ants, and horse/deer flies.  I've been stung by yellowjackets right through my clothing. The stings are so intense that they cause muscle cramps and itch for a week.  Being bitten by a horse fly is like someone pulling a chunk of your skin out with pliers. And they're relentless....they never give up until they bite you or you smash them first.  And fire ants.  I have no idea how such a small insect can produce such an irritating stinging sensation.  Here in the south, one bout with the fire ants and you never sit down on a lawn or the ground again without inspecting the premises VERY carefully!



Horse Fly? Did I hear Horse Fly? They are considered the State Bird of Maine. Just ask Bakechef! They have a season of their own in Maine.


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 6, 2014)

Cheryl J said:


> We seem to have an abundance of tarantula hawks (wasps) this year. UGH. They're enormous (2" in length), can be aggressive, and have a very painful sting. I haven't seen any in the back yard yet today, maybe they have moved on. I sure hope so, my 3 yr. old grandson was here yesterday and I couldn't even let him go play in the yard.
> 
> Tarantula Hawk - photos - video - DesertUSA
> 
> ...




Oh dear, hoping for no stings for you and yours.  This was cool reading!  Thanks Cheryl!


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## Addie (Jul 6, 2014)

Good Heavens! I didn't even know such a creature even existed.


----------



## Steve Kroll (Jul 6, 2014)

I'll add one more to the list of despised critters and insects: chiggers

Seems like rarely a year goes by where my legs and ankles don't get eaten alive by those nasty little bugs. And the sores itch for months. I've had them last until well into winter.


----------



## taxlady (Jul 6, 2014)

I'm sure glad I never got bitten by chiggers. I lived in the country with woods and fields and swamps. I'm surprised I didn't meet them. I guess I was wearing enough DEET. Back then it came in 90+%.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 6, 2014)

Steve Kroll said:


> I'll add one more to the list of despised critters and insects: chiggers
> 
> Seems like rarely a year goes by where my legs and ankles don't get eaten alive by those nasty little bugs. And the sores itch for months. I've had them last until well into winter.



Try Milk of Magnesia, as in Phillip's fame, to cover the bites, allow to dry on.  It may help, we use it on bee stings and it helps.  May help with the chiggers, too.


----------



## Addie (Jul 6, 2014)

One day  in Texas The Pirate came in and the back of his hand looked like a road map. The doctor gave me some vile looking liquid medicine for him, and within 24 hours his hand cleared up. What he had was some kind of bug that gets under the skin and travels stopping every so often to lay eggs. Then continues on the journey. They were called Jigger worms. Can make you very sick. So glad we don't have them here in Massachusetts.


----------



## Cheryl J (Jul 6, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> Oh dear, hoping for no stings for you and yours. This was cool reading! Thanks Cheryl!


 
Weird creatures, aren't they?! I've been outside a lot today and haven't seen a single one - they seem to have just up and disappeared.  Hope I haven't spoken too soon....lol


----------



## Steve Kroll (Jul 6, 2014)

Addie said:


> They were called Jigger worms.


Jiggers is another name for chiggers. Same as I what I've had. I would be surprised if you didn't have them in Massachusetts. Their territory covers most of the US.


----------



## Cheryl J (Jul 6, 2014)

Steve Kroll said:


> I'll add one more to the list of despised critters and insects: chiggers
> 
> Seems like rarely a year goes by where my legs and ankles don't get eaten alive by those nasty little bugs. And the sores itch for months. I've had them last until well into winter.


 
OMG, Steve!!


----------



## Addie (Jul 6, 2014)

Steve Kroll said:


> Jiggers is another name for chiggers. Same as I what I've had. I would be surprised if you didn't have them in Massachusetts. Their territory covers most of the US.



I wouldn't be surprised Steve. I had just never heard of them until we moved to Texas. They are nasty! PF suggested M of M. You might also want to try putting aloe gel on them. Stops the itch instantly and helps in the curing of the bites. You can buy it by the bottle at your local Walgreen's or CVS. When we lived in Hawaii, Poo had some miserable infected squeeter bites. It stopped him from scratching immediately and by the next day almost all of the infection had been cleared up. Even with all his medical training, he still swears by it today. And even recommends it to his patients for mosquito bites.


----------



## CrazyCatLady (Jul 7, 2014)

Bees, fleas, ticks and mosquitos. Yaaaaaggggghhhhhh!!!!

I made this joke in adult Sunday School once: "Why didn't Noah swat those two fleas, skeeters and ticks?"

Answer: "And WHEN was the flyswatter invented, dingbat?"

LOL, we're stuck with em....so although I dislike em, I can't say I hate em. I like the word "loathe."


----------



## chiklitmanfan (Jul 8, 2014)

My Dad had close friends that lived in Barstow, California (right in the middle of the Mojave desert) so, when visiting, I was warned about Tarantula wasps, the hairy spiders themselves, scorpions, and the many venomous snakes. The Desert can be a very unfriendly place. Even the plants have stickers, spines, and barbs!


----------



## taxlady (Jul 8, 2014)

chiklitmanfan said:


> My Dad had close friends that lived in Barstow, California (right in the middle of the Mojave desert) so, when visiting, I was warned about Tarantula wasps, the hairy spiders themselves, and the many venomous snakes. The Desert can be a very unfriendly place.  Even the plants have stickers, spines, and barbs!


And don't put your feet in your shoes until you have shaken out anything that might have crawled into them. One year at camp, a girl got stung by a scorpion because she didn't look. She got very little sympathy from people who didn't know her, even though she was hospitalized. "Silly girl, she should have shook her shoes."


----------



## Dawgluver (Jul 8, 2014)

Steve Kroll said:


> I'll add one more to the list of despised critters and insects: chiggers
> 
> 
> 
> Seems like rarely a year goes by where my legs and ankles don't get eaten alive by those nasty little bugs. And the sores itch for months. I've had them last until well into winter.




Yikes!  Never had chiggers until I sat on the grass when we were in Florida, the nasty things got under the waistband of my shorts, and itched for weeks!


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking


----------



## chiklitmanfan (Jul 8, 2014)

My neighbor put his yard shoes on in the garage and a wasp, who was camping out inside the shoe, stung him repeatedly before he could get it back off.  His whole foot swelled up like a balloon.


----------



## Roll_Bones (Jul 8, 2014)

taxlady said:


> And don't put your feet in your shoes until you have shaken out anything that might have crawled into them. One year at camp, a girl got stung by a scorpion because she didn't look. She got very little sympathy from people who didn't know her, even though she was hospitalized. "Silly girl, she should have shook her shoes."





chiklitmanfan said:


> My neighbor put his yard shoes on in the garage and a wasp, who was camping out inside the shoe, stung him repeatedly before he could get it back off.  His whole foot swelled up like a balloon.



I keep my yard shoes in the basement.  I always shake them out real good and check inside before i put them on.  Never know!


----------



## cave76 (Jul 8, 2014)

I've used the word "jigger" and "chigger" interchangeably all  my  life. Because I'm curious I finally looked  them up and find that they're two different insects/*arthropods*. Who knew? Not me! 

"Jiggers
Known medically as tungiasis, *tropical jigger* infections should not be confused with *chigger* bites. Chiggers are Trombicula alfreddugesi larvae. Jiggers are female sand fleas (Tunga penetrans) that burrow in the skin of people's feet and lower legs with the purposes of laying their eggs. 

Jiggers who take root raise white lesions with black dots in their centers that can cause intense pain and itching. Options for treating jigger infections include surgical removal, suffocating the fleas by covering the black dot (i.e., the flea's air hole) with an airtight wax dressing, or applying thiabendazole, ivermectin (e.g., Stromectol from Merck) or metrifonate cream. Untreated jigger infections can lead to the development of tetanus, cellulitis and gangrene."

Information About Tropical Skin Disease | eHow


----------



## Steve Kroll (Jul 8, 2014)

cave76 said:


> I've used the word "jigger" and "chigger" interchangeably all  my  life. Because I'm curious I finally looked  them up and find that they're two different insects/*arthropods*. Who knew? Not me!


Really? Just looking to argue again, are you? 

Trust me, I've grown up and lived around these things my whole life. I've heard them called both chiggers and jiggers. There are no tropical insects here. In this part of the country both names refer to the same thing, perhaps incorrectly, but whataya gonna do.


----------

