Pests

When I was singing at a wedding yesterday, I saw a smallish creature crawling around on the floor of the church. Cricket? Largish spider? I couldn't quite tell.

But that got me to thinking about the pests we have here.

I haven't seen a cockroach since we've been here...and since that is my least favorite of the possible pests, that makes me happy.

So, what pests do we have?

Depending on the season (and because we keep the doors and windows open most of the time), we have big, fat, lazy flies that you can kill with your hand...or (as Michael and Jeremy prefer) by shooting a rubber band.

Late spring, we have something nasty called pappataci (a type of sandfly), which will give a wicked bite: looks like a mosquito bite, but bigger and with a clear liquid head on it. Fortunately, their season isn't long. Of course, we have mosquitoes, too, but there don't really seem to be that many.

At some time, we get fruit flies. They were at their peak about 2 weeks ago, so that could give you some idea.

Bigger stuff?

Well, hmm. Depends on what you call a pest. With the windows open, we have had bats fly into the house a couple of times (easily removed...the first one, I just shut the door from the family room to the rest of the house and pretended I hadn't seen it. By the morning, it was gone....the second got stunned and we covered it with a hat for safe removal). We've also had a young swift come in by mistake.

And it would be dishonest not to tell you about rats. Yes, rats. But, before you get hysterical, I have to say that the very few I've seen have been tiny (size of a gerbil) and rather cute. I did see a flat corpse in the road once that looked like it might have been the size of a small domestic rat, too. They have not been in our main apartment ever, but we did have a funny story with one that entered the second apartment over a year ago, which is far too long to type. If you're desperate to hear it, ask Michael!

I nearly forgot to mention the lizards, iguanas, and pigeons. Depending on your tastes, I suppose those could be considered pests. We've never had a pigeon enter the house, but we do occasionally have reptilian visitors.

It's all a matter of taste, I suppose. But I have to say I LOVE the lack of cockroaches...oh, and those nasty crickets that used to get in our basement!

Love,

Alexandra