I usually have Bees, Ants and Yellow Jackets all Summer. Hardly seen any of them but I've been killing Black Widows left and right. Just killed three more this morning from an old planter. Makes 32. How has the insect population been in your area?

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dragonfly forty-six Profile

There has been a lot of ants the summer, and they are bigger than I've seen in years past. I've also seen a lot of different butterflies. Usually we get a bunch but they are usually the same kind. This year I've seen many different sizes and colors. It's also that time of year when the dragonflies come out. Everyday for the past week, I've had a few of my dragonfly friends swirling around me when I've been outside.

Corey The Goofyhawk Profile
Corey The Goofyhawk , Epic has no limit, answered

I haven't noticed much either, come to think of it. I've seen several butterflies, a few spiders... A Yellow Jacket tried to kiss me yesterday; landed right on my lips!

Matt Radiance Profile
Matt Radiance answered

Ants! Be careful with the sweets! The army of black ants of all kind will be marched for victory!!!! Hundreds of soldiers are under command of their queen!

Ancient Hippy Profile
Ancient Hippy answered

Now that you mention it, we don't have the usual amount of bugs this year. I guess it's the heat and lack of rain. We do, however, have a lot of butterflies this year, more than I've ever seen.

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Ancient Hippy
Ancient Hippy commented
Luckily, we rarely see a black widow around here.
Yin And Yang
Yin And Yang commented
The bees I see this year are dead on the ground. I assumed it was due to the heat. However a black hornet flew in the house the other week! I don't like that!
Ancient Hippy
Ancient Hippy commented
I saw a huge flying bug last week, at first I thought it was a humming bird. It was sucking nectar out of my flowers and it hovered just like a humming bird. Never saw one like that before.
Danae Hitch Profile
Danae Hitch answered

My ex-husband and my son got rid of five nests of hornets / wasps that were hanging around under the eaves of my house. YUK!

I haven't seen very many spiders and such, but I guess I didn't notice until you said something. Weird, isn't it?

PJ Stein Profile
PJ Stein answered

I have had plenty of bees. I even got stung for the first time in years. And thankfully my ant population is down. We get fire ants and they are painful when they bite. Some people end up with scars. Last year when we bought our house there was a mound in our backyard that had to be over 3 ft. Wide by 4 ft. Long and abut 18 inches high. Plus numerous smaller mounds throughout the yard. It took a good 6 months to get them under control. I had other ants coming in my house. I hired a pest control service to get those under control.

Virginia Lou Profile
Virginia Lou answered

Dear Rooster,

I have been surprised my first summer in the Pacific raincoast for a long time, and definitely fewer bugs generally! Not that I miss the mosquitoes or anything...and nobody sees honeybees anymore, not in the wild anyway...

BUT one little thing I was so glad to see when I came here in May; under my eaves was a little wasp nest! I checked carefully to make certain everybody was hatched and moved out before dislodging the cement and collecting this lovely little specimen; and now it sits on my bookcase.

Here is what they look like, I love them so much, this delicate but strong "paper" they make for their nests...

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Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
Rooster be safe, Buddy...I have never lived around black widow spiders, but is there a point at which you consider bringing in an exterminator?

I myself had never encountered bedbugs until Iowa...and the pets REALLY suffered from those...could the black widows bother Hunter?
Rooster Cogburn
Rooster Cogburn commented
He seems to know where they are at and stays away. I'm a ruthless Widow killer !
Virginia Lou
Virginia Lou commented
Well between the two of you, sounds like the situation is under control...!
KB Baldwin Profile
KB Baldwin answered

Seems like I've been seeing a lot of house flies and yellow jackets (meat bees) in just the last couple of weeks.  Mosquito were a bother in the spring, but as soon as hot ans dry came, they disappeared. 

Yin And Yang Profile
Yin And Yang answered

Yes TONS of black widows! But more so in the beginning of summer. We had pesky ants more so then previous years. And the odd one this year has been them funky huge green looking beetles that buzz around! They are everywhere!!! Didn't see many June bugs.

Anna Levi Profile
Anna Levi answered

I haven't seen that many insects here actually, thinking about it! I did find a spider I'd never come across before, a woodlouse spider, the other day though. There are plenty of spindly spiders around too, I even found one making a web inside one of my saucepans!

SuperFly Original Profile

Have not noticed too many besides these mosquitoes last time I was out back. I recall my Grandmother had a fake hornets nest or some type, to trick wasps or bees into going elsewhere if I remember correctly. They like making holes in the deck especially the Grape Arbor beams above.

I recall seeing 1 black widow on my back door. But man, 32! Thats a lot of black widows there Rooster.

Michael Poland Profile
Michael Poland answered

I try to save as many lives as I can.

The closer we get to nature the better

life is for all. All life is sagrid and cannot be replaced.

Cool Spot Profile
Cool Spot answered

I live in the desert so not that many insets around me unless you get too water.

Just a random tip but if your having pollunation issues if you get an eletronic toothbrush and buzz your flowers it does the same thing a bee would do.

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