It's raining here today and our system of catching rainwater is up and running...every bowl, cooler and pitcher we own is sitting on our porch catching the run-off! I will be washing dishes in the rain water later and the animals will get it to drink, plus we've turned off the water supply to the toilet and will be filling the tank with what we catch to conserve as much as possible.
We have been blessed with a good friend who has allowed us to take showers and do laundry at her house during this season of drought. We do have enough water in our cistern to bathe the baby, keep on top of the cleaning, and even hand wash the dishes, do small loads of laundry, take fast showers and give water to the animals if we need to...as long as we spread it all out...but we are trying to conserve as much as possible until the drought is over.
We are thanking God for the rain today!
On another note, we are declaring war on the ladybug infestation that has hit us like a plague. I know, most of you are thinking, what's wrong with a few ladybugs? Well, these are not just your run-of-the-mill harmless, little, pretty ladybugs. No, these ladybugs BITE, like they have teeth! I had never heard of anything like this until we moved to WV last year and I actually had welts on my body from where they bit me.
If you don't believe me, check out this article: Asian Ladybugs
We have been blessed with a good friend who has allowed us to take showers and do laundry at her house during this season of drought. We do have enough water in our cistern to bathe the baby, keep on top of the cleaning, and even hand wash the dishes, do small loads of laundry, take fast showers and give water to the animals if we need to...as long as we spread it all out...but we are trying to conserve as much as possible until the drought is over.
We are thanking God for the rain today!
On another note, we are declaring war on the ladybug infestation that has hit us like a plague. I know, most of you are thinking, what's wrong with a few ladybugs? Well, these are not just your run-of-the-mill harmless, little, pretty ladybugs. No, these ladybugs BITE, like they have teeth! I had never heard of anything like this until we moved to WV last year and I actually had welts on my body from where they bit me.
If you don't believe me, check out this article: Asian Ladybugs
Thanks, DeAnn!
So, we got home last night around 11:30 after spending a long day out. We're down to one vehicle temporarily, so in order to have the car for the day, we have to take hubby to work and pick him up...harder to do now that he's working second shift!. But, I digress...Benjamin goes upstairs to put on his PJ's and I hear, "Oh...my...goodness...LADYBUGS EVERYWHERE!" I thought he was exaggerating, so I went about my business of unpacking from the day.
A few minutes later, I took the little ones up to get them ready for bed, and a petrified 8-year old boy was sitting on his bed staring at the ceiling. I looked up and saw hundreds...no lie, HUNDREDS...of ladybugs on the ceiling and walls! They were everywhere I looked!
I ran downstairs, grabbed the vacuum cleaner and started at them. It took me 30 minutes, but I got all that I could see. After getting the little ones in bed, I went downstairs, ready to relax for a few minutes...by this time it was 12:30. I went into the kitchen for a drink of water and was appalled...there were at least 3 times as many in the downstairs kitchen and eating area!
Once again, I grabbed my trusty vacuum and went at them. An hour later, I had sucked up more ladybugs than I ever imagined I would see in an entire lifetime. But when I turned the vacuum off, I heard Addy screaming in her bed. I ran upstairs to find a terrified little girl, yelling that there was a "bee" in her bed! I turned the light on, only to find MORE of them in the same places I had vacuumed an hour earlier.
Back upstairs with the vacuum...
To make a long story short, it was 2:30 before I made it to bed. The commotion kept the baby awake, so Ryan rocked him until I was done battling the bugs. It was a late night for us all.
Addy finally got to sleep after we found two that were in her bed...she was right, she could hear them buzzing by her head.
This morning, I woke up to find a new batch all over the house, so I've spent the morning trying to stay on top of them. The rumor is that they were brought in from another continent...South America...or Africa...I'm not sure which...by someone who had the brilliant idea of introducing them into our environment to kill off some other kind of bug.
I don't know if it worked, but it's certainly made us miserable for awhile! Have any of you had this problem before? Do you know what we can do to get rid of them, short of calling out an exterminator? HELP!
Ewww...there's one on my keyboard...the battle is still raging...
So, we got home last night around 11:30 after spending a long day out. We're down to one vehicle temporarily, so in order to have the car for the day, we have to take hubby to work and pick him up...harder to do now that he's working second shift!. But, I digress...Benjamin goes upstairs to put on his PJ's and I hear, "Oh...my...goodness...LADYBUGS EVERYWHERE!" I thought he was exaggerating, so I went about my business of unpacking from the day.
A few minutes later, I took the little ones up to get them ready for bed, and a petrified 8-year old boy was sitting on his bed staring at the ceiling. I looked up and saw hundreds...no lie, HUNDREDS...of ladybugs on the ceiling and walls! They were everywhere I looked!
I ran downstairs, grabbed the vacuum cleaner and started at them. It took me 30 minutes, but I got all that I could see. After getting the little ones in bed, I went downstairs, ready to relax for a few minutes...by this time it was 12:30. I went into the kitchen for a drink of water and was appalled...there were at least 3 times as many in the downstairs kitchen and eating area!
Once again, I grabbed my trusty vacuum and went at them. An hour later, I had sucked up more ladybugs than I ever imagined I would see in an entire lifetime. But when I turned the vacuum off, I heard Addy screaming in her bed. I ran upstairs to find a terrified little girl, yelling that there was a "bee" in her bed! I turned the light on, only to find MORE of them in the same places I had vacuumed an hour earlier.
Back upstairs with the vacuum...
To make a long story short, it was 2:30 before I made it to bed. The commotion kept the baby awake, so Ryan rocked him until I was done battling the bugs. It was a late night for us all.
Addy finally got to sleep after we found two that were in her bed...she was right, she could hear them buzzing by her head.
This morning, I woke up to find a new batch all over the house, so I've spent the morning trying to stay on top of them. The rumor is that they were brought in from another continent...South America...or Africa...I'm not sure which...by someone who had the brilliant idea of introducing them into our environment to kill off some other kind of bug.
I don't know if it worked, but it's certainly made us miserable for awhile! Have any of you had this problem before? Do you know what we can do to get rid of them, short of calling out an exterminator? HELP!
Ewww...there's one on my keyboard...the battle is still raging...
'Til next time...
Brandi
Posts
4 comments:
Brandi,
When lived in Iowa the ladybugs would be horrible sometimes as well. I'd just have to keep up with cleaning them up. I don't have any advice on how to get rid of them, except just keep cleaning them up. Once the cooler weather sets in for good they'll be gone. I can relate to the frustration though!!
Peace, Kris
I used to live in an old farmhouse and remember those ladybug infestations. It's amazing, isn't it? And you are right, they bite and it hurts! I hope you are freed of them soon.
I believe you have Asian ladybugs based on an article I found. Looks like some people are really allergic to these. Here's a link to the article about allergies:
http://allergies.about.com/od/specificallergens/a/asianladybugs.htm
Here's a link that gives some info. Looks like they're in Michigan, too!
http://www.ipm.msu.edu/beetleFAQ.htm
And the last link:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/lbeetle/
Hope that helps you with your Asian ladybugs!
Didn't you wake up to a million bugs on the ceiling in PA in the room downstairs?!
Poor B-B :(
<3 Haley
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