The One About The Stink Bug Hunter & His Preferred Tools Of The Trade

/ Ally Bean

Photo via Washington Post

Our May temperatures have been warmer than normal, enticing brown marmorated stink bugs to emerge earlier than usual from their winter digs. While they cause no structural damage to buildings, they are a nuisance.

Kind of creepy to see in my opinion.

We rarely find them inside the house [unlike the roller shade situation earlier this year], but notice them when we sit on our screened-in porch.

One of us [not me] has decided to wage war against them, like the semi-retired suburbanite that he is. While Indiana Jones had his hat & a whip, Zen-Den has his fly swatter & toilet paper.

The fly swatter he uses to slap stink bugs off the screens or walls;  the toilet paper he uses to pick them up and squish them before he flushes them down the toilet. He is on a mission, carrying these items with him whenever he steps onto the porch.

The Stink Bug Hunter’s preferred weapons.

Thus equipped with the items seen in the photo immediately above Zen-Den has become a menace to stink bugs. He stalks them while we sit, ostensibly to relax, on the screened-in porch.

He is ever vigilant.

Hence I’ve learned to put my preferred beverage into a Tervis with a lid so that stink bugs, pursued by my sweet baboo the Stink Bug Hunter don’t land in my drink.

As they are wont to do.

And further, as a long-time married person who sees humor in many things, I’m entertained, enthralled even, by the tenacity of a man who has decided to attempt to reign victorious over stink bugs.

As if that’s going to happen. 🙄

• • •

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

What kind of insect do you dislike the most? When confronted with them do you jump into action like Zen-Den to kill said insect?

Are you, like me, a fan of sitting outside with a beverage at hand? If so, factoring in the time of day, what is your preferred beverage? Do you need to have a lid to put on top of it?

What’s new with you? Got any tales to tell about your life in the merry month of May?

• • 🤔 • •

286 thoughts on “The One About The Stink Bug Hunter & His Preferred Tools Of The Trade”

  1. Before I write anything, I feel there must be something wrong. I am never the first to comment here! But sooo happy to do so. Yay! At long last the time difference must have worked in my favour.
    Drinks a la fresco? You are talking my language, Ally Bean. I am not challenged by the kind of drink. Could be a cuppa tea earlier in the day, an alcolic beverage late in the afternoon or a refreshing water midday. We actually have morning tea outside in the garden patio most days. The fresh air is great.
    If the mozzies population is not mitigated by council aerial spraying of the mangrove swamp, they would count as my least liked insect. But there isn’t many, so we’ll move on the fly by default. So very annoying.
    A swat is the gold standard implement for execution and disposal.

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    • Amanda, congrats on being the first commenter. Here is your award: 🥇

      I adore the idea of having morning tea outside in the garden when possible. I like fresh air and tea and pretty nature, so soothing. I agree that mosquitos are annoying, but so are flies. We don’t have many mosquitos here but flies we get in the summertime. I could do without either, but that’s not going to happen, now is it?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Not at all likely and both insects have an important role in the ecosystem, so we cannot eradicate them completely.
        Thanks for the award. I had better make the most of it, hey? It may not come my way again!

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        • Yes my logical brain understands that all these bugs serve a good purpose in the bigger picture BUT my fussy heart doesn’t like some bugs– and that’s that!

          By all means treasure your award. You earned it! 😉

          Liked by 1 person

  2. PLEASE NOTE: The first blog post I published this morning didn’t show up clearly, the images were blurry, as were the words so I deleted it. I then published this post that’s showing up clearly, like blog posts should. Don’t know what happened, sorry for any confusion. 🤷‍♀️

    Liked by 3 people

  3. I live in a part of the world that doesn’t harbour much in the way of flying, biting or stinking bugs, so after years of dealing with the biggest mosquitoes you have ever seen – the far north is known for them and the fact that they can fly away with small animals – I feel that I’ve earned a relatively bug-free deck and community. 😊 As to what I’m up to this merry month, I am presently in Iceland after having taken a weeks’ long trip across about 70% of Canada. Cheers.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Hilarious, this: “Zen-Den has his fly swatter & toilet paper”. I’ve got the toilet paper wads at the ready…but no fly swatter. I like Zen-Den’s technique — grab ’em with some tp and flush the little boogers – but take care to avoid squishing them in the capture, because then your fingers stink, stink, stink. Argh! Send him over if he’s got energy to spare, would you? Hubster Paul couldn’t care less, so I’m the lone ranger here on stink bug patrol. As for the beverages, I’m deep into homemade cold brew season, alternating with iced tea. Hadn’t thought about protecting my drink from the ugly bugs, but now you’ve got me thinking! 😜

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    • Vicki, this year’s infestation of stink bugs has been intense. We had a mild winter so maybe they had more time to make whoopee? 😉 You’re right about squishing them once you’ve captured them inside the TP, your fingers smell awful. I don’t know why Z-D has taken the stink bugs so personally, but I’m enjoying watching him murder them. I haven’t made any cold brew coffee yet this year, now you’ve got me thinking.

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  5. Someone needs to set up a hidden camera to catch some video of the great Stink Bug Hunter in action. What a treat to watch in the deep snowy winter when life gets boring!

    I have seen 2 stink bugs so far this spring. I have great screens so I’m always a bit surprised when I find one inside. They are sneaky. My usual removal technique is simple: nudge them onto a piece of scrap paper and shake them off outside the door, but only on the side opposite the opening. I have had many fly right back inside. I try to abide by the concept of “live and let live” if at all possible but the more legs an insect has the more tempted I am to grab one of my handy flip flops that live by the door and squash the offending invader. I have noticed that the greater number of legs = faster movement and possible up close interaction. Something I prefer not to have.

    If I was sitting and contemplating nature it would be coffee in the AM and my handy stainless steel water bottle otherwise. It is rare that I even have “beverages” of other sorts although I do like to make sun tea in the summer.

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    • Deb, ha! I hadn’t thought of creating a video of the Stink Bug Hunter in action. A documentary perhaps! 😉

      Made me laugh out loud: I try to abide by the concept of “live and let live” if at all possible but the more legs an insect has the more tempted I am to grab one of my handy flip flops that live by the door and squash the offending invader. You, my dear, have said what I believe too.

      I like coffee in the morning, too. Tea at lunch, then depending on the day and the weather and who I’m sitting outside with, an adult beverage. Or water.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. When working outside in the morning, I drink water. The afternoon may call for iced coffee to keep me going. 🙂 I applaud his tenacity. I’m at war myself with groundhogs and deer. I’ve rehomed three groundhogs this past weekend and am still looking for the number four guy that I know is still lurking. The deer are eating everthing at ground level or above so I’ve had to put up some plastic fence to at least make it a little harder. If I could combat these two species with a flyswatter and a roll of TT, I’d be thrilled. 🙂 We get those stinkbugs on the outside, but in the winter we will have a single one show up and I can never figure out how, but I crush him as well and flush him. Maybe we need a stinkbug support group. 🙂

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    • I feel your pain, Judy! I’m at war with a groundhog too. I’ve sprinkled Critter Ridder all over the place and he seems to be in hiding, if nothing else!

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      • I can tell you that cantaloupe works as bait in a live trap, but either this last one doesn’t like fruit or he’s taken off. I read about putting a piece of paper in the hole and seeing if the paper is pushed out so you can tell if he’s still around. I’m going to try that tomorrow. I wish you all the luck because these critters are down right annoying to someone gardening. 🙂

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          • I have two Havahart traps. One has one door and the other has two doors. In researching a few years back, I found that ripe cantaloupe is their favorite. I put the cantaloupe on the trigger plate and around it to lure them in. When they step on the plate the door closes. They apparently can smell humans, so I always wear an pair of old, dirty gardening gloves when I handle the trap. I can then put the trap in the back of my truck, haul it out to a wooded area, and release it by opening the door. They take off running. That being said, no one wants a ‘gift’ in their back yard so I try for an uninhabited area. I also wear long pants, boots, and leather gloves. I’ve never had any issues but better safe than sorry.

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            • That’s a sensible process. You help the groundhogs find a better place to live while not endangering yourself. I know of those traps from friends who had trouble with raccoons. It’s difficult to hate on the animals who are surviving as they know how, BUT the damage they can cause is difficult to accept.

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        • Good to know, should I need to trap the little bugger.
          The Critter Ridder so far seems to have held him at bay.
          Thank you, Judy. They are a royal pain in the arse!

          Liked by 2 people

    • Judy, I like water to drink when I’m outside actually doing something, but sitting on the screened-in porch is a whole ‘nother thing. We don’t have trouble with groundhogs, good of you to find new homes for them. Deer are always hungry. They’re the reason we no longer have daylilies here. Good luck with the plastic fence approach, nice to think you’re causing them a bit of trouble instead of the other way around. 😈

      I like your idea of a stink bug support group. Stink bugs are a nuisance but I’ve learned that they’re only in certain parts of the US. I thought they were like flies and were everywhere.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. The one bug that freaks me out (and I blame Star Trek) is the earwig. SHUDDER

    I won’t seek them out, but they won’t survive should they come within my eyesight!

    I adore sitting outside with the beverage of the hour (coffee, cocktail, wine, tea… I’m an equal-opportunity beverage drinker). I loathe using a straw and not a fan of sippy cups 😉 So, any beastie killing is not allowed to take place where said beasties can end up in my drink. Should something accidentally fly into it, I shall remove it and keep on sipping.

    My tales I know you are aware of. My battle with the bugger seems to be on pause. He does not like the Critter Ridder. I shall avail myself of another container, just to be for sur 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dale, excellent point about earwig and its ST connection. Memorable.

      I like to drink most anything outside too because I appreciate being able to be outside, cabin fever can get to me. I’m not a straw person either, but the lids on the Tervis aren’t so bad. Especially when Z-D is on his mission as the Stink Bug Hunter.

      Yes, I know your ongoing battle with your yard nemesis. We all have our critters to battle, I suppose. 🤨

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I would love to live somewhere that outside bugs did not, coff, bug me. Wyoming was not bad for that except during cicada years or miller season. However they made up for it with giant furry wolf spiders. Inside or outside spiders are the worst. I have to be able to shoot them with bug spray or squish them because if I don’t, I would have to move and that is inconvenient.

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    • Zazzy, I’ve never been to Wyoming and am glad to know that it is less buggy than here. We get cicadas but only when a brood is upon us and then not for many days. These stink bugs are relentless. I figure if he wants to go on a rampage against them, who am I to stop him?

      Liked by 1 person

      • I am perfectly happy to encourage someone else to kill nuisance bugs for me. I have rarely seen a stink bug but they don’t sound fun if they produce little stink bug armies. I would suggest you buy Zen Den some extra fly swatters and rolls of cheap toilet paper to encourage his hobby.

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  10. Hilarious! I think that if there’s any bug that crawls into my awareness far enough so that I have to go to war with it – it’s already won. 🙂 But that’s easy for me to say because I don’t think we have stink bugs here.

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  11. I can appreciate ZD’s dedication. Since we left the mid-Atlantic I have relished in the enjoyment of a nearly bug free lifestyle (OK we have bugs but the ones that I have a bad history with are few and far between). Stink Bugs are high on the list of no more. My wife cannot smell them so she doesn’t care. I am also happy that there are nearly no mosquitos, no boxelders. and I haven’t seen a tick in 6 years.

    I enjoy sitting outside in the morning with my coffee, taking in the sights and the bird calls.

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  13. We get one stink bug per day in our family room. I have no idea how they come in. In previous years, rosemary sprigs in the window helped, but not this year. My most hated anything is the centipede. They really gross me out and I have to kill them with shoe and then vacuum them up. So gross.

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    • Bijoux, the stink bugs we’ve had inside the house baffle us, too. How’d they get there? Rosemary is an interesting approach to keeping them at bay. I’ll try that, maybe our stink bugs will dislike it enough to go away. 🤔

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  14. I dislike every kind of bug! Spiders, ear wigs, hornets, mosquitoes, flies, beetles – all of them! We don’t have stink bugs, thank goodness. We have deer flies that bite, so I never get to wear shorts or sleeveless tops when I go outside. As our bug sprayer guy once wrote on our invoice, “Michelle has a low tolerance to insects.”
    I am 100% in support of Zen-Den’s mission to obliterate the stink bugs! He’s a super hero!

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  15. Ally, I am the designated bug-person between the two of us. Mrs. Chess will simply call out or text me to immediately proceed to the location in question and eliminate her immediate concern. I would consider myself tenacious when it comes to trying to keep bugs outside the home in the first place. I try to negotiate truces with each species to play as they will outside but once they enter the household…well, they know the rules of engagement.

    I am not a fan of sitting outside, but I have been known to ask for a beverage when mowing in the heat. It is always nice to re-hydrate in those situations. That comes in the form of a squeeze bottle with a straw, and that does lend itself to finding no invasions from outside creatures.

    May has been a good month. No wild and crazy moments…but sometimes a little quiet isn’t a bad thing at all.🙂

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    • Bruce, your wife texts you about where the soon-to-be deceased bug is‽ THAT’S WONDERFUL. I’m in awe of her organized, civilized way of making you aware of what needs to happen. I agree with you that bugs can do what they want outside, but once they bother our house, the gloves are off.

      A squeeze bottle with a straw is a great way to keep bugs out of your beverage. I like a little quiet, too. Despite the bug situation, we had a happy low-key month.

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  16. I’m not very happy with the stink bugs; they tend to show up, well, one at a time, by flying into my over the bed light where I’m reading while my husband snores away. Inevitably, they swoop into my hair and I become a bit manic at that stage. Snoring continues. If I am lucky, I can catch one on a piece of toilet paper (can’t flush tissues) and flush it away to oblivion, although I suspect they can somehow survive the process and come back for more torment.
    I’m also not fond of barn spiders, but if I leave them alone they usually leave me alone.

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    • Dorothy, you really battle with stink bugs. I’d be manic if one got in my hair, too. Ours are more gawkers than doers, they just climb on the walls and ceilings, rarely fly. We wonder, also, if flushing them kills them or are they oblivious to everything and keep on living in the sewer, finding a way to return to our porch.

      No barn spiders around here, but I’d be like you and not bother them.

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  17. I am not a bug lover, to be honest. They all creep me out and I hate when I’m home and have to deal with any form of insect invader into our home. It’s highly ironic that my field of study in graduate school was Entomology. (I kid you not.)

    This was a hilarious post to read, and I chortled out loud at this line: “ostensibly to relax.” I’m picturing your husband turning retirement into a full-time vermin-chasing role.

    Wishing him much success!

    I mostly don’t drink things outside, to be honest, but when I do it’s likely sparkling water from a can because I’m classy like that 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Elisabeth, oh you do rock the irony. Entomology? Maybe you know so much about bugs that seeing them brings back nightmares of tests and research papers! It’s not the bugs themselves, just the academic memories.

      I’m entertained by how personally Z-D’s taking this stink bug investation, but hoping this foray into bug madness will end soon. Full-time? I hope not.

      I drink sparkling water from a can, too. You’re right, classy it is.

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  18. I can picture the stink bugs swatted down by your husband and going kerplunk in your drink! I use a hydro flask for water all day long. Yes, it has a lid. The bugs I hated the most were in Palm Springs. Giant cockroaches who would hang out on our bedroom ceiling and fall to the ground and scurry away. Fortunately, we don’t have them in Arizona.

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  19. Oh ugh! It’s sad that you have to guard your drinks from stink bugs. 🤢 🤢A friend complains about stink bugs getting into her house. I’m pretty sure I killed one last year (and several wasps).

    Meanwhile, we are dealing with cicadas here. We have a plethora of those.

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    • L. Marie, if Z-D wouldn’t torment the stink bugs with his fly swatter, no bugs would fly into my beverages. BUT he’s determined once he starts after them, so to be safe I use a Tervis with a lid.

      Not a fan of wasps… or cicadas. My condolences.

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  20. I dislike stink bugs (my mom has them worse than I do) but try not to squish them since the smell attracts their friends. I am scared of earwigs; I know it’s not true that they crawl into your ears and make you deaf, but I’m still creeped out by them. My preferred drinks: morning: my mocha and perhaps some drip coffee with Belgian Chocolate Toffee creamer, daytime: water with an enhancer, either Orange Tangerine or Berry Pomegranate and evening: same as day unless I have the occasional amber ale.

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    • Margaret, I know that squishing them isn’t advised and I don’t do that but the Stink Bug Hunter has his own ways! 🙄 I’ve never had any Belgian Chocolate Toffee creamer but it sounds delicious. I’ve never enhanced my water with anything but a squeeze of lemon. I have had a few amber ales along the way, though. 😉

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  21. Ah…to HAVE a screened in porch. Still…are there a LOT of these stink bugs inside your porch? Enough to make the war on them worthwhile? Me, I’m more a let them do their thing as long as they’re not doing it in my drink kind of person.

    I have to think about the kind of insect I don’t like. I know last year I got stung by a hornet and it hurt like the dickens. They were building a nest in our mailbox and silly me opened the mailbox door to put mail in the box. They actually chased me. So I think they are my least favorite insect. We had to warn the mailman and he brought the mail up to the house while we figured out how to get rid of the stinging bugs.

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    • Dawn, there are lots of stink bugs, about 10-12 per day for the last few weeks. Plus going after them gives Z-D a sense of purpose! 😉

      Hornets are vicious, I’m glad you’re okay after being stung. I’m sure the mailman appreciated being alerted about what has happening. I’ve never heard of hornets building a nest in a mailbox, but why not? Under the eaves, a mailbox, what’s the difference.

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  22. Laughing over your tenacious hunter husband. The nice thing about SoCal is the lack of bugs compared to the lands east of the Mississippi. The ones most commonly found on our patio are the monarch butterflies as they emerge from their chrysalises on the rocking chair. We do our best to protect these butterflies–no hunting allowed. Inside, however, there is an ongoing war against ant invasions, led by me (as my husband apparently can’t see them). And the cat leads the charge against any flies stupid enough to come inside (cat is currently undefeated).

    Liked by 1 person

    • Autumn, didn’t know that about SoCal but like knowing it. Your photos of butterflies are amazing, but sorry about your ants. We lived in a house once that had a disproportionate amount of ants. It was annoying. Yeah to the cat, he who reigns victorious over flies.

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  23. Don’t like any bugs but flies really bother me. We (hubby) got an “electric” fly swatter for his garage. We put screens up on the doors now though so fortunately don’t have to deal with them much.

    We “celebrated” 40 years of wedded bliss (?) on the 20th of May. Other than that it’s been business as usual around here. No concerts until July.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, I’ve seen those electric bug zappers but I don’t know if they’d work with stink bugs. Screens for the doors would be great though.

      Congrats on your anniversary. That’s exciting and significant and worthy of note. 🥂

      Liked by 1 person

    • The Snow Melts Somewhere, good point about ticks, they’re everywhere. I hadn’t thought about the baby ones before. I’m sure I must have seen them but maybe didn’t notice. 🙁

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  25. I’m not a fan of any insect, but not particularly scared of them either…I’m brave enough to kill them quick! My 7 year old is so afraid of bees because he was stung by a swarm when he was three and my husband got Lyme Disease from a tick – so I definitely second hand hate those for them. We love drinking some adult beverages on our screened in porch – no lids required 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Collin, your son was stung by a swarm of bees‽ OH MY GOODNESS, I’m sorry for the kid. I’m wary of ticks for the reason you mention, I’ll second hand hate on them with you. Show off, drinking on the porch without lids on your beverages! 😉

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  26. Mormon crickets! Only I’m not sure if they’re insects. They are impossible to kill – unless you run over them with a car. Stay clear of Nevada because they’ve decided to take over the state – at least the northern part.

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  27. I hate horse flies. There are the most obnoxious and persistent winged bastards I’ve ever met. Once they find you they will chase you to the end of the earth to deliver a painful bite. Mowing can be dangerous since I clearly smell like a horse when doing it.
    🤣

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    • Rivergirl, when I was a girl we had horse flies around, but I haven’t seen one in years. I remember the chasing part now that you mention it. I’m sure you’re as dainty as a daisy when you mow. 😁

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  29. I do love the stink bug hunter’s preferred tools. Because I live alone, I am the bug controller on the homestead here. I too keep handy a fly swatter and tuck a roll of TP in my pocket. I now feel less alone!

    The stink bugs in your area are tiny compared to the inch to inch and a half here in Texas. Though we are not getting them in the quantities that you are being invaded. Early spring, from inside I watched through my window a Texas size stink bug crawling slowly as they do on my bench on the front porch. I remembered your stink bug fiasco with the in door blinds and I didn’t want that sneaky bug flying inside. It was actually stalking another bug. So I waited. All least I could rid two detestable bugs. After it had its feast, I went with my outdoor broom fanning that stinker away. It didn’t want to leave. I looked like the wicked witch waving my broom about the porch then through the front yard. It never came back. I felt silly, but I didn’t want to squish it because of the smell!!

    The bugs I hate most are roaches. If one get inside, I usually find it snoozing on its back. And that’s why I keep the fly swatter handy. Not for swatting though. That would be too gross. I use the fly swatter for scooping it up while it’s snoring, then flush it down the toilet. I wait to do the double flush. Because I don’t want any bug to get revenge by biting me on my buttock.

    The toilet paper is for my nose, allergies and sweat. If it’s not pollen, then it’s the agricultural fire burns coming north from Mexico and soon it will be the Saharan dust soon to be arriving in the next week, then June 1st start hurricane season. And it is steam sauna hot with feels like temperature 115 yesterday. But I need my outdoor morning time to watch the birds with morning coffee. It’s always something that I need my roll of TP in my pocket.

    How are those stinkers getting inside your screened patio?!? I’m with Zen-Den murder those stink pots!

    Liked by 1 person

    • TD, I’ll make sure to let Z-D know he’s not the only Stink Bug Hunter who packs a fly swatter and a roll of TP. Clearly they’re the preferred tools of the trade.

      Your story of doing in 2 bugs in one frantic broom-waving episode is classic. I get it, once you’ve decided they need to go, it’s an all out war zone. Your approach to roach removal is impressive. I’d double flush too for the same reason as you. I mean, one can’t be too careful.

      You have so many possible allergens to deal with, I can see why you keep TP with you. I’ve been to TX a few times and the heat was too much for me, and that was before any allergies.

      I think the stink bugs are walking into the screened-in porch by going under the screen door. It doesn’t fit tightly, with space around the edges, and that’s enough room for the stink bugs to slide inside.

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  30. For the past two summers our valley has had moth invasions so I’m swatting little moths when I see them. Thankfully we have a lot less than last year. I put it down to my early Spring purchase of cedar moth repellant sachets. I bought oodles of them and have them all over the house. I’m armed with tissue but, no fly swatter.

    I hope Zen-Den has a successful season of fending off the stink bugs and other pests.

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    • Deborah, no kidding, moth invasions? I rarely see them around here so I’ll be thankful about that. My mother had cedar repellant sachets that she put in her closets, had forgotten about them.

      I’m sure Z-D will keep the stink bugs at bay. We don’t know any way to get rid of them entirely but we, that is he, can keep them on their toes… if they have any.

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  31. It’s June bug time here. They are big and ugly and their sole purpose seems to be to lay eggs that hatch grubs in our lawn, The crows then spend a better part of the fall and spring tearing through the grass to get to them for their lunch. I never needed a perfect lawn; but the several very, very large patches (think about 15 sq ft plus each) of dirt all over our front yard are another of this spring’s challenges.

    As far as drinks outside go, be it wine, water, a Caesar (Canadian drink) or my morning tea, I love sipping outside, either on the deck off my kitchen or in chairs down by the lake. My idea of heaven.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jenn, I’ve never lived anywhere with June bugs. The name makes them sound lovely, but I’m sure they aren’t. That’s a large area of lawn damage courtesy of the bugs + crows. Like you I’m not into a perfect lawn but something that big would give me pause.

      Being outside sipping any beverage is my idea of heaven too. The fresh air, the drink, the sounds beauty of nature call to me. And stink bugs, too, apparently.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. This is an easy question. I hate what we call here 1,000-leggers. They are the grossest, in my humble opinion. I believe our home (which was built in the late 80s – and we didn’t build it) was constructed on top of a 1,000-legger family plot or something.

    My favorite beverage is water, but if I’m being social, then I’d like a margarita with a salted rim. Yum.

    What’s going on there? Oh, you know. A bit of everything. I’m feverishly working on the grad video before Reg’s party. One minute I think I’m in good shape and will be done with ample time, and the next minute I am in full-on panic mode. Reg and I are driving to Indiana tomorrow so he can attend an open gym and see if that place might be the spot for his gap year. Tomorrow is my last day of babysitting for the school year. I’m adjusting to having the 2 younger girls home and seeking ways to keep them busy. Now that we know one of them likes to leave the house to troll for boyfriends we feel less relaxed about letting them wander the neighborhood.

    Good to know that you find your hub’s mission entertaining. Coach’s mission of late (doesn’t involve bugs) is to guard his favorite (only ever purchased kitchen pan) with his life and God help the offspring who dare to utilize it. The offspring and I find it entertaining, um – when Coach isn’t in the room. “Who scratched my pan?” *said pan was purchased at Kohls, mind you.

    Hope the stink bugs catch on and leave your all alone.

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    • Ernie, I know what you mean about those 1,000 leg bugs, they are gross. We don’t get them here, but I’ve seen them. Way too many legs, mean attitude. I like a margarita with salt on the rim, too. I drink one like once every three years, but they’re good. 

      You sound busy as usual, well maybe less so with the daycare over. I hope the place in IN works for Reg. As for the girls, interesting development. Fingers crossed for the best on that issue. 

      Coach has his own special pan! That’s funny and delightful. I’m sure he wants to take good care of it, but how could you not josh him a little about it? People can be such goofs sometimes.

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  33. Flies. I hate flies. Our nearly 100 year old house has a problem with them and they appear out of NO WHERE. We had to bomb the first floor a couple of times over the year and when we came back there were between 50 to 100 dead in the kitchen. Disgusting!
    I learned to be a master swatter with a newspaper and am always telling my husband he’s too gentle! “Ya gotta whack the sh*t out of them!”
    They are usually the fat lazy kind that are too big to get out of their own way.
    Since we insulated the attic floor, the situation seems to be corrected.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nancy, oh that’s awful about the flies, the existence of them, the quantity of them, the kind of them. I say ICK! I like your command to your husband, the softie who needs to toughen up.

      I’m amazed that insulation in the attic floor solved the problem. I’d never have thought that, yet it makes sense in an odd 100-year-old house way. Well done.

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  34. This morning a blogger wrote about cicadas in Illinois and this afternoon, stink bugs. I did encounter them when we cleared out Mom’s Pennsylvania house. No see ’em in Florida where we do have roaches, which I wholeheartedly detest!

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  35. Mosquitos are the worst! My 10 year-old grandson is totally freaked out by bees and wasps. To the point where often he’d rather stay inside as to not risk getting stung. I would love to figure out a way to help him overcome this over the summer, since he’ll be here 2 days a week now that school is out and Grandma wants to play outside!

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    • Rhonda, I’m not a fan of mosquitos. [Is anyone?] While I understand not wanting to get stung by a bee or wasp, I also loved playing outside at your grandson’s age. I don’t know how you’ll convince him to play outside with you, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. 😎

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  38. Good luck to Z-D! I hope he won’t still be swatting stink bugs when your leaves turn color 😉

    Two insects I have no qualls about dispatching: mosquitoes and fire ants. Fire ants cause me more distress (swelling and itchy blisters) so they’d be the ones I dislike the most. Mosquitoes used to be the bane of my existence but either there’s fewer of them or I’ve built a bit of an immunity. We have the occasional stink bug here, but they tend ot be outside and they are so few as to not bother about.

    I’ve been enjoying iced tea lately since we bought some to enjoy when a cousin and his wife came to visit (it is rare that we have visitors and rarer when they are family members). Otherwise it’s ice water or wine. I would not be happy to have to sip my wine through a lidded mug 😉

    Other than self-publishing my short story, the merry month of May has been a relatively quiet one. Good thing because they predict an active hurricane season for the Atlantic side of things.

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    • Marie, the way Z-D is going after the stink bugs, combined with their limited lifespan here, I think he’ll do them in sooner rather than later.

      I’d forgotten about fire ants in FL. They are awful, worse than stink bugs. Not a fan of mosquitos but we don’t get too many here.

      I take your point about sipping wine through a lidded container BUT if’n your husband had gone full on Stink Bug Hunter and you wanted to imbibe, I bet you’d accept a Tervis with a lid. I know I’ve adapted.

      Is that right about this year’s hurricane season? I mean I’m sure you are right about it, but what a bummer. If it’s not one thing it’s another.

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  39. First of all, I love that you used “my sweet baboo” and it makes me want to bring that into my own life. I am just picturing you as Sally, with hearts all around you, and it is bringing me so much joy, just that image.

    You know what, there probably are stink bugs around here, but I don’t know for sure. Maybe it’s not a thing where I have lived? I personally don’t mind spiders because they are so helpful, and the ones here don’t bite, but I am in the minority. I’m constantly rescuing spiders to go outside, and others in this house unceremoniously squish them, to my consternation. Personally I hate mosquitoes as I am a little allergic – I swell up and bruise and it’s really gross when I get bitten.

    We had a ladybug infestation, and while that seems like something that should be lovely, it sure wasn’t. I think they hatched somewhere in our vents in late January, and because they were where they shouldn’t be, they were all pale and zombified. It was kind of horrible to see these poor ladybugs crawling around, basically on death’s door, with no food or water, and coming out of hibernation too early. It was either put them outside where they would freeze to death or…euthanize. I tried to save them but they were too many and I was too few, and hopefully that won’t happen again because I found it quite upsetting.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicole, you’re the first commenter to get the my sweet baboo reference. Is Peanuts so long out of the limelight that no one knows Sally and Linus‽

      I don’t know how far north stink bugs go, maybe not up to you. As for your ladybug infestation, years ago that happened to us in a different house and I hear ‘ya. On the one hand ladybugs are beautiful, but not inside my house during winter. And to put them outside seemed cruel, but smooshing them was also cruel. Why do these bugs BUG us so? Upsetting, I get.

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  40. I’m pretty tolerant of insect, except scorpions that have crawled into my bed and little gnats that fly in my face during digital work meetings, both of which are squished and swatted ASAP. Good luck to Zen-Den on eliminating the stinkbug population!

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    • Gigi, I’ve heard of palmetto bugs but don’t think I’ve encountered one. Sound awful. Stink bugs are annoying but not distressing. Flying cockroaches… distressing! 😳

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  42. Do stink bugs stink when he squishes them? If not, when do they stink? How bad do they smell?

    Least favorite bugs: mosquitoes and large flying cockroaches.

    Z-D must be a descendant of hunters. Many of us are. I imagine my ancestors were hunter-gatherers not farmers. Searching for berries or even wild animals sounds like more fun than the back-breaking work of a farmer.

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    • Nicki, stink bugs stink to high heaven when you squish them. It’s best to capture one then send it down the toilet, but Z-D feels the need to squish them first. He’s a wild one, he is!

      I see your point about hunters versus gatherers. I don’t know his ancestral stock but killing stink bugs has become his raison d’être. Yay?

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  43. The most detested bug here in the south is the cockroach. Thankfully, when I find them, most of the time they are dead. But I still get creeped out and need to use layers of paper towels to pick them up. Ewww!

    We just got back from a trip to Williamsburg and Jamestown with our middle son, daughter in law and five yr old grandson. We took our five yr old grand daughter with us. Those two had the best time together😍

    I tried a new Dr Pepper today. It was creamy coconut. Yum!!

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    • Beth, cockroaches seem to be winning as the most disliked bug. They’re everywhere from NYC to SC + FL!

      Your latest vacay sounds like a good time. I’ve not been to either of those locations, but know they have historical significance and to see them as a kid must be fun. A different perspective perhaps?

      I haven’t had a Dr. Pepper in years. I don’t know that creamy coconut sounds good to me, but I’ll tell Z-D. He loves coconut… as you may recall. 😜

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    • Kate, yes that is conventional wisdom. Supposedly but releasing the scent of a dead stink bug other stink bugs swarm in. Z-D doesn’t care about conventional wisdom, he’s a man on a mission. Or a kid with toys, not sure which.

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  45. Is tthat picture depicting the size of your stink bugs? If so, they’re tiny compared to the occasional ones we see outside here. Naturally, I squash them with my shoe to be sure they don’t make it indoors. Let the wind or other insects dispose of the carcass. Stink bugs are important to the environment, but I understand Z-D’s desire to get rid of them. However, he might save himself some energy by filling a foil roasting pan with water and dish soap and put a light over the pan to attract the bugs in a dark room/porch.

    I live in a single-story apartment complex in SE Texas but we do have patios. However, as much as I would love to sit out there in the evening with a glass of iced decaf tea, it’s nearly impossible to do as the mosquitoes here are inordinately fond of me. Even when I use Skin-so-Soft or insect repellant, those little bi***es will find a place, such as an ear, to bite me. They are most fond of my legs, though, when unprotected.

    It is June bug season here but those are more an annoyance than anything else. Somehow, we have escaped our usual rice bug season, another annoyance that messes up cars, this spring. I’m sure they’ll show up in September.

    We also have tree/wood roaches here and they fly. Years ago I was walking on the side of a street (no sidewalk) when my leg started itching. As I reached down to scratch, I felt a lump and it started moving. A tree roach had crawled up the inside of my pants leg! I must have looked quite a sight to oncoming motorists as I danced quite the jig to get it out of my pants. *SHUDDER*

    But I am most terrified of bees (except wood bees, which don’t sting or bite) because I’m severely allergic to their stings. For that reason, as much as I would love to plant things that attract butterflies, those same plants attract bees. I don’t kill them, though, because they play an important role in our environment. I just play dodge or go inside.

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    • Barb, yes that photo of the stink bug is pretty much to scale. I didn’t know about the pan with soap and light approach to getting rid of them. I’d tell Z-D but he seems to be in his element as a stink bug hunter with his tools of the trade. Wouldn’t want to spoil his fun with something simple and logical.

      I’m sorry about how you are a tasty treat for mosquitoes. They are noisy in addition to being bite-y. I know of June bugs but not rice bugs, that don’t sound at all useful. A tree roach climbed up the inside of your pants leg!?? Oy vey, that’s awful. I’d be freaked out for years after that.

      I’ve known a few other people who were allergic to bee stings. My dad, in fact. I understand why you don’t plant anything that’ll attract them, even if you want to see the pretty plants. What a situation. Good that you know how to avoid the bees.

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  46. Most insects don’t bother me, but if I had to pick the worst nuisance, it would have to be the mosquito. Their annoying whine gets on my nerves, especially when we’re camping and they buzz around my head or land on my bare legs or arms. While their bite doesn’t hurt, it sure itches like crazy afterward.

    I am like you and find humor in most of these types of situations. We’ve been having a lot of issues with crows and ravens. My wife is sure they’ve chased off our hummingbirds and is on a mission to drive them away. She read somewhere that owl statues frighten crows away, so now we have three owl statues on our deck railing. I’m amused and tease her about buying a six foot model for her birthday.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Pete, many commenters have mentioned mosquitos. I agree that their bite doesn’t hurt, but it does itch… for a long time.

      Do crows and ravens really drive away hummers? I applaud your wife’s mission to make your yard safe for hummingbirds. A neighbor has one owl statue on her property but she’s such a nut job that who knows what she thinks she’s driving away. A six foot owl would be awesome, but might it not scare the hummers?

      Liked by 1 person

      • The wife claims she read this is a technique used to drive away crows. I just nod and smile as our owls peer in the direction of our neighbors. They probably think we’re nuts. 😎

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        • Now, I don’t know. We have a neighbor with an owl in her yard and the owl looks over at us. We like seeing him, but have yet to give him an official name. Gotta work on that.

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  48. We tolerate most things outside. I gear up for battle if they move in. We relocate spiders and crickets. Credit to ZD – once you have a system that works, stick with it.

    Most beverages outside are in a to-go cup (hot) or bottle (cold) much simpler.

    I hope you have a great week.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dan, that’s the thing, once the bugs come inside, even the screened-in porch, it’s go time to eradicate them. We get spiders but fewer crickets than we used to get.

      Your beverage container choices make sense. Keep it simple!

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  49. I’m with Vicki here—TP and flush. No need to swat because the critters barely move anywhere at warp speed hence are easy to pick up. BUT— I DO mind when one nestles so far inside the depths of my Savanah shades such that that I have to inch it out with the end of a metal measuring tape. Arrgh.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Julia, yes I’m not sentimental about stink bugs. The fewer the better. Your Savannah shade situation sounds similar to what happened with our roller shade last January. They are pesky little bugs!

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  50. There are some kind of flies that buzz around our back patio every summer and drive me NUTS. They just circle slowly. They don’t land on things, so I can’t swat them. I’ve tried zappers and poison and natural bait (some vinegar honey combo) and nothing works. They are a menace. They don’t bite, though, so I will say that mosquitos are worse. It’s dry here, we don’t get very many, thankfully!

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    • J, you have some weird flies. No disrespect intended. I wonder why they do what they do, but as long as they don’t bother you so be it. Mosquitos are annoying no matter where you find them, commenters agree.

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  51. Just as an aside, the huge cockroaches mentioned here are what we call Palmetto bugs. They prefer to live outside, but occasionally wander in and have to be dispatched. My personal #1 hatred might be deer flies. They’re far worse than mosquitos. I can keep myself mosquito-free out in the marshes and such, but deer flies are persistent. When they bite, they take a bit of flesh with them, and their bite’s painful rather than itchy.

    I’m no fan of slugs and millipedes, either, but I rarely see them, and when I do they just gross me out, rather than attacking. All to the good.

    As for sitting outside and enjoying a drink, we’ve moved into the season when reasonable people move indoors, because of the heat and humidity. From now until about October, the only people drinking outdoors seem to be the ones who already are so deep in their cups they don’t realize how miserable they are.

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    • Linda, oh oh oh! Now I get it. I know of Palmetto bugs but didn’t know that some people call them cockroaches. I’ve not heard of deer flies and they sound awful. Nothing worse than a determined bug. I’m sorry you deal with them.

      Not many slugs around here but we get some mosquitos. I’m sure you’re right, and I’m laughing about, the only people who drink outdoors at this time of year where you live. Once the heat and humidity hits here, say July/August, we all go inside, too. Except for your aforementioned ones in their cups.

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  52. Ally, I’m more of a shoe-with-a-heel-to-whack-’em kinda gal to be honest. I am terrified of big spiders and centipedes and always have been. I had a contraption made by Remington called a “Bugsucker” which was similar to a vacuum cleaner but the insect was trapped inside on sticky fly paper. It was a sad day when the company quit making them. I had a few knockoffs but they did not do the trick.

    If it’s in the basement, I have a full five-gallon can of paint which I neatly plunk down on the bug, then I leave it there for a while. I can’t even bring myself to step on it as I picture myself missing it and it will run up my leg which, I know, is just plain stupid and absurd. Upstairs, I’m a Nervous Nellie until I can muster the courage to kill it. Usually standing there with a shoe in hand. My mom would take her mop and pull it down to which I’d say “that’s not a surefire way to know it’s not embedded in the mop head or worse, AT LARGE!”

    I have not sat outside in a long time. There is a patio, but I just don’t go out there anymore.

    I have nothing exciting to report – I retired two months ago today and due to all the rain, I am finally making some decluttering progress.

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    • Linda, I’ve never heard of the contraption you mention! I’m sure it was effective but why did the company stop making them? Seems odd considering how people in general don’t like bugs.

      Your creative potential scenarios of what might go wrong as you attempt to kill a bug are funny. Not that they couldn’t happen, but maybe the odds are with you and not with the bug. A thought.

      It’s great that you’re making progress with your decluttering. It can be overwhelming, don’t I know it, but if you’re stuck inside why not get going. Carry on, my productive friend.

      Liked by 1 person

      • It was a great contraption Ally and saved my life when the critter could not be “taken out” with a simple shoe whack. I don’t know why Remington quit making them and mine was still working, but you could no longer buy the sticky tubes that went inside. Once they filled up, you had to throw them away. I bought a similar contraption from Brookstone or The Sharper Image, but it didn’t last.

        I stand there and literally freeze in place while imagining the scenarios and best method of attack. The only time I can kill a centipede is if it is in the bathtub, so then, the oh-so-brave me, turns on the faucet and drowns it. 🙂

        I figured three days of decluttering, then three days of nice weather to go to big parks. That was a good incentive. Today was day one of nice weather. Our weather has not been particularly great this Spring, but I’m grateful to be spared from severe weather.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Ha! Drowning a centipede is classic. I don’t enjoy smashing bugs of any sort because of the clean-up afterwards, but I also don’t like them inside our house.

          Enjoy your non-winter weather. A little decluttering and muttering, a little walking and talking [to the squirrels] and you’re golden.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Yes, I can be brave and no guts (for the bug, not Yours Truly). The only good thing about Winter is that the spiders and centipedes are usually hibernating. Now walking on rustic trails is worrisome as the ticks did not die over the Winter. Clutter-wise what I don’t finish this Summer, can languish into Winter. No one sees it but me!

            Liked by 1 person

  53. The worst is the Texas Tree Roach. I’m not sure I can talk about it without being traumatized. My only action—screaming bloody murder or a mad dash for Raid. They’re huge. Too much ick for a smash.

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  54. We have stink bugs but they’re usually not too bad (meaning, not an overwhelming number)… I am much more cautious about black widows. We don’t have a ton, but if they’re anywhere near the house/doors, they have to die (Raid to the rescue).

    I do like to sit on the patio and I usually don’t have to cover my drink (thank goodness). I love having my morning coffee outside.

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    • San, one thing I’ve learned about stink bugs is that if you don’t bother them, they’ll leave you alone so you can drink your coffee, or whatever, in peace. Spiders on the other hand will come for you regardless of how kind you are toward them. Raid is a sound choice.

      Coffee outside in the early morning is the best. Starts my day just right.

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  55. Drinking out in the patio as I type! Cabernet is my preference. Mosquitoes my least fave insect (I expect that answer turns up a lot). They’re not too bad yet, and hopefully my mosquito bucket will keep them to a minimum.

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    • Eilene, I could go for a glass of 🍷 as I type this, but it is morning and I’m inside SO I’ll save that idea for later. Not a fan of mosquitoes either. Some years we’ve grown citronella plants on the deck and that has kept those little nuisances away. Good luck with your mosquito bucket.

      Liked by 1 person

  56. Mosquitos, hands down, though I’m not fond of spiders either. It’s nice Z-D has something to keep his mind occupied in his semi-retirement. 😛 I remember those suckers occasionally in my room in Ohio. I wanted them gone, of course, so I squished them and almost always regretted it. The stink doesn’t last too long, as I recall. 🙂

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  58. I hate mosquitos because they LOVE me. Fortunately, we don’t have a lot of them around here. Spiders and a few other critters get re-homed outside. On our recent road trip back east, we saw – and heard – the dreaded cicadas. Another bug we don’t have in SoCal, thank goodness.

    It hasn’t warmed up enough here to get out on the patio. White wine, mojitos, or a margarita when it does.

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    • Janis, I’m a magnet for mosquitos, too. They are pests in the truest sense of that word. I know in some areas cicada broods are emerging but not around here this time. They are something unique and noisy. As if SoCal couldn’t be any cooler, you don’t have them!

      I like an adult beverage out on the deck or in the screened-in porch. We’re at the point in the year when it is delightful outside, not too humid and hot yet.

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    • Anne, yes I’m not a huge fan of spiders so if I see one I’ll try to send it to the great beyond. Good point about how your coffee is safe. I love the stink bug hunter, but sometimes he gets a little too carried away on his mission. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  60. That’s a freaky lookin’ bug alright! I’ve save the questions for today and I will answer them in a future post in a couple of days ❤️

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  61. I hate cockroaches 🪳 and would kill them if I see them in the house. Outside they can do what they please. No sitting outside in this weather as it’s above 115 F here in the evening too.

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    • Sadje, the thing about cockroaches is that they’re everywhere, big cities, suburbs, small towns, out in the countryside, and no one likes them. It’s above 115ºF in the evening!!! That blows my mind. I’m not a person who enjoys being hot so I’d wilt like a piece of lettuce in that temp. Stay safe.

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  62. Hate those stink bugs. HATE them.

    We often sit out on the deck at the lake, wineglasses and bottle at the ready. Sadly, there are all kinds of bugs there due to the lake being only ten yards away (or so). Rick decided to make lovely wooden covers to fit our glasses as a wintertime project one year. A simple stopper helps keep the bugs out of the bottle.

    I detest houseflies. I get obsessed if one gets in, and I’ll stalk it with my swatter like a maniac. I completely understand your husband’s motivation.

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    • nance, yes hating on stink bugs seems to be all they’re good for.

      I love knowing about your wooden covers for your wine glasses. That is planning and ingenuity at its best. I wouldn’t want to be forced to go inside when you have such a lovely view of the lake.

      We don’t get many flies around here, but I can’t tell you why that is. However if one does turn up inside the house, I’m with you… I’ll hunt it to its death.

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  63. This is such an appropriate post for me and stink bugs. Normally, they appear on the patio screens later in the summer. That has always been their time. This year? They appeared inside the apartment on the screens in April. Whaaattt??? Hoshi has been making me aware of their appearance and I get them with my battery-operated mini tennis racket that shocks/electrifies them much like a bug zapper. Not sure how they get in, but glad, at least, that it’s not a wasp or a June bug, the latter of which I hate the most. Stink bugs are gross, just gross, and for now, they have subsided. I fully expect to see them again when we get the full summer warmth and sun.

    I was just sitting on the patio with my morning tea and the two furry kids. This is when I most often sit out there because the rising sun just feels so good. I reveled in the flora of the patio as I allowed Gibbs and Hoshi to nibble on a catnip leaf. I think I may have to enjoy an evening adult refreshment over the weekend because why not?

    May, oh May. It was the month of so-many-things. You have seen some of it on Threads, but I need to publish a blog post and catch everyone up on what the crazy cat lady has been up to.

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    • Mary, we got stink bugs earlier this year too. I think it’s the warmth that draws them out. I’m intrigued by your battery-operated mini tennis racket that shocks ’em. That’s a step above what Z-D is up to. Kudos to you– and to Hoshi your sentinel. 😼

      Early morning tea on the patio with the cats sounds divine. What a wonderful way to move into your day. By all means, indulge in something more robust over the weekend. 🍻

      I look forward to reading your blog post when you get around to writing it. You’re always up to something fun or unique or just downright entertaining.

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  64. I’d always heard that you shouldn’t swat a stink bug because then they give off the smell that gives them their name. So I’m interested to know that isn’t true! That being said, we don’t have stink bugs now, but we do have an overload of cicadas! They’re beyond annoying, but hopefully will be gone soon. Your post does remind me of the time when my husband discovered a possum in our garage. I told him to just leave the garage door open, put some food and water in the driveway and let the possum leave of its own accord, then close the garage door behind it. Instead, he chose to chase it around the garage with a broom, trying to get it to leave. It was beyond entertaining to watch…and the possum was definitely the winner in that particular battle!

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    • Ann, oh these stink bugs smell awful after they’re smashed, but this doesn’t stop Z-D from doing it. He takes joy in doing them in. When I find a stink bug I gently pick it up inside TP, but not Mr. Man. 😑

      I’m laughing out loud at your husband chasing a possum with a broom. I’d have done exactly what you suggested but also have no trouble believing what your husband did. You just gotta laugh at males sometimes… they’re predictable.

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  65. Ally, you really struck a nerve about bugs! (Note to self, write a post about bugs ; ) Stink bugs are okay outside, where they eat caterpillars that can destroy crops. But when I’m reading in the bedroom at night (same as another commenter mentioned) and they are making demented circles around the ceiling light, it’s too much… I hate horse flies the most. They are flying assassins and leave a welt that hurts for days. Thanks for this great conversation.

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    • Rebecca, I never imagined this many comments on a post about, of all things, bugs. Everyone has a story to tell. Stink bugs are free to do as they please outside our house, but once inside it’s anyone’s guess if Z-D will get them or if given the chance they’ll fly outside again.

      I get why you don’t like any bug flying around a light while you read, what a distraction. Horse flies are dreadful, but I don’t see them around here. However when I was a kid they were around.

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  66. Gosh, no tall tales. I LOVE sitting outside with a beverage; we put a front deck on our house for the express purpose of sitting outside in the afternoon and sipping a beverage. No lids required. Sometimes it is a hot beverage and sometimes a cold one, depending upon the weather. I love a cocktail, but those are rare for me these days because of my health challenges. I find that dressing something up like a cocktail works just fine for me. As for bugs:  I am a fan of transporting them safely outside. That said, I do not live in a place conducive to lots of bugs or big, scary ones. Cane showed me a photo the other day of someone’s porch screens absolutely covered with some kind of bug, and my body had a strong reaction! Wishing you and Zen-Den luck in his battle with the bugs.

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    • Rita, your front deck is lovely, I’ve enjoyed it from afar via your photos. No lids would be my preferred way, but once Z-D gets into his stink bug hunter mode who’s to say where those bugs will land.

      While we get lots of stink bugs, overall we don’t have enough other pests to cover the screens. That is creepy to even think about. The thing about stink bugs is that they’re here for a few weeks then disappear, not because Z-D has killed them all, but because that is their life cycle.

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  67. Hornets. I hate hornets. And mosquitoes. And things that bite me and leave huge welts. I mean, who doesn’t?

    I rarely just sit outside. I feel like if I’m outside, I should be moving or doing something. My dog wishes I would just sit outside, though, because she’d much rather just lay in the grass in the sun than go for a walk and maybe I should schedule some time with me and the dog sunbathing in the backyard while I sip some very, very cold ice water from a capped thermos.

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    • NGS, hornets are nasty and you’re right about the welts. Mean little buggers, they are.

      Interesting how you feel you should be doing something when you’re outside. I’m 180º opposite. When I’m inside I feel like I should be doing something but outside I embrace my slacker-ness. I like the idea of you and the dog sunbathing in the backyard. Maybe share some of your cold water with your dog, watch her smile?

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  68. Do you have cicadas? We don’t….yet. I hope they skip us.

    My favorite drink is water. I wish it could be an alcoholic beverage, but my head doesn’t like them. I occasionally enjoy a Pepsi or Coke (I don’t have a preference), especially out of a bottle.

    Any news? Hmmm. Nothing too exciting. Just taking one day at a time. ❤️

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  69. What an interesting conversation, Ally Bean. I enjoyed reading all of the comments and your responses. I often wonder if insects like our species. They certainly know when we have a fly swatter in our hand. I have a great respect for insects, although I am grateful that they are the size they are. Can you imagine what it would be like to experience a 6-foot wasp. I shiver at the thought. I suspect that the earth prefers insects to our species. Recall that E.O. Wilson once wrote: “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.”

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    • Rebecca, you’re right, insects are scary enough when they’re small. A 6-foot wasp? Yikes. You ask a good question: do insects like our species? No answer but I kind of think that E.O. Wilson’s thought is probably the truth of the matter. In the meantime I’ll just be here watching the stink bug hunter wage battle with his sworn enemies. 🙄

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  70. Hi Ally, I totally agree on the creepy. Yet, bugs (insects) also impress me, especially their longevity on our planet. Yes, beverages with a lid…Re: long-time married person and tenacity of a man hunting bugs – not as entertaining for me inside a small tent throughout the night – especially the no see ums and of course, that one mosquito. 😊Thank you for reminding me about some of our ‘fun times.’ 💕 Erica

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    • Erica/Erika, I do understand that bugs do provide some good things in our world, but I like them better outside my home than inside. I’d forgotten about mosquitos inside a tent. THAT is beyond annoying, much more so than these stink bugs. Always happy to know about other couples fun times! 😉

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  71. Well done Zen-Den!

    What kind of insect do you dislike the most? When confronted with them do you jump into action like Zen-Den to kill said insect? Hmm…stink bugs rank in the top 10; I’d say the wood tick is #1 – they’re so dang sneaky. My Zen-Den had one that found it’s way to his leg overnight and I had to do removal surgery in the morning. I dropped the rascal in a clear film container and poured rubbing alcohol on it – a quick death.

    Are you, like me, a fan of sitting outside with a beverage at hand? If so, factoring in the time of day, what is your preferred beverage? Do you need to have a lid to put on top of it? Oh, yes, my Yeti cup with a cover is a must, although no bugs seem to be overly attracted to water on ice. 🤔

    What’s new with you? Got any tales to tell about your life in the merry month of May? The marigold and zinnia seeds I planted in all of my containers are starting to sprout…things are looking up for June. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a few will survive the scoundrel rabbits and deer this year. 🤞🏻

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    • Shelley, yes ticks are lousy, worse than stink bugs. Sorry to read about what happened but glad you got the nasty little thing.

      I’ve seen Yeti cups for sale, but never bought one. No reason other than we have some Tervis with lids already. Whatever works.

      I’m hoping for the best with your seeds, too. I buy marigolds as starts but plant zinnia seeds. So far the rabbits have eaten the tiny little zinnia plants. Not pleased with that.

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      • Thanks Ally – I think we found the tick at the right time to not have to worry about the bite at all. We both shared stories of when we were kids and coming home after playing with friends it wasn’t uncommon to have upwards of 15-30 ticks to be removed. 🙄

        I received the cup for a gift from my brother. I’ve not heard of Tervis. You’re right – whatever works to keep the drinks free of bugs is a good thing!

        Thank you for the well wishes. Same to you. Aw…rabbits are scoundrels when it comes to the sweet fresh sprouts. They have a whole yard of sweet blades of grass, WTH!? 😣

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        • Tervis may be a more regional brand than a national one. I learned about it from friends and family who live in the Deep South where Tervis is known for selling university logo glasses. I buy plain ones, though.

          Your last sentence. I think the same way, eat the grass you little goofs!

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  72. We find stink bugs in our house year-round. I guarantee if I go upstairs right now, I’ll see at least one crawling around the living room. I never crush them though; I just Dust Bust ’em up and dump ’em out. Because if you kill them, they really do live up to their name.

    1. What kind of insect do you dislike the most? When confronted with them do you jump into action like Zen-Den to kill said insect?

      • For me it’s ants. I have a phobia dating back to childhood. I did recently dump diatomaceous earth on a couple of anthills in the yard, so…yes?

    2. Are you, like me, a fan of sitting outside with a beverage at hand? If so, factoring in the time of day, what is your preferred beverage? Do you need to have a lid to put on top of it?

      • Of course! Sitting on our deck with a cold beverage is one of life’s pleasures. I intend to do so come 4:30 this afternoon. Could be beer, might be wine, possibly bourbon. Or even coffee if it’s morning.

    3. What’s new with you? Got any tales to tell about your life in the merry month of May?

      • I just bought a Traeger and am currently breaking it in by smoking a brisket. That’s pretty exciting.

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    • Mark, yes I know they stink when they’re smashed, but Z-D is a man on a mission and seems to not mind the stench.

      I’m not a fan of ants, now that you mention it. We occasionally get some big ant hills outside, but have never tried your approach to extermination. I’ll keep it in mind.

      Your choice of outdoor beverages is the same as ours, depending on time of day and how much more needs to be done after we’ve had our drinks.

      You got yourself one fancy schmancy grill! I see them on the neighbors’ decks or patios but have never felt the need to buy one for us. I bet your brisket will be delicious.

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  73. I keep getting this Blues Brothers vibe from your description of Zen-Den being on a mission about these bugs. “We’re on a mission from God, Ma’am.” I’m the appointed insect killer in our home because my wife goes into LOUD “eek!” histrionics whenever one deigns to show its presence. Outside beverages should always be covered, imho; see above, re: bugs. – Marty

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    • Marty, oh I love how you think. The Blues Brothers was a great movie and you’re right there’s a little John Belushi-ness to Z-D’s mission to do in the stink bugs. I understand your wife’s way of communicating it’s time for you to do something about an unwanted bug. Yep, to lids.

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  74. Bug nemesis= cockroach. But only the giant dark (2″or more) Palmetto Bug roach that roams The South. I have been terrified of them since childhood. Go into a complete tizzy when I see one. My family knows they have to step up and handle it; even my kids did when they were young. I just can’t.

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    • Gwen, I know of palmetto bugs, but haven’t had to deal with them personally. Cockroaches we occasionally get around here, though. Obviously you raised your children right, they know when and how to protect mom. 😊

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  76. I noticed that my niece started saying she did not like spiders because her Mom did not like them. That made me sad. Then I noticed her younger sister was reacting to bugs in the same manner as if trying to mimic her sister. I used to catch snakes with my brother when I was younger and I fell in love with snakes because of all the love and fascination that he had for them. Without encouragement from me 😉 the little one has started to be fascinated with all things small. You are right stink bugs are from a different planet. I am a Beekeeper ❤ and I think that my whole family has benefited from insects and smaller creatures so much that I try not to kill anything just on reflex. Yes mosquitos might get a slap. I am pretty allergic to wasp stings I just try to avoid them.

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    • katerehanna, you keep bees! Now that’s an insect that, to me, seems to earn its keep. I’m pleased that you were able to get your nieces to start noticing small things, like bugs. Even the creepy one, in fact.

      Wasps are vicious. I keep a respectful distance from them, but mosquitos find me. Like you I give them a good slap.

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  77. Good on you, keeping your drink protected, Ally. I do enjoy a cool drink on the patio. They can range from iced coffee or Diet Coke to the more adult beverages on occasion. As for bugs, I have an understanding with them, if they stay out of my house and do not kill my plants, I ignore them. However, when grubs killed one of our Century Plants last year, I did wage chemical warfare on them.

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    • Christie, it’s not that I mind bugs in theory as much as I dislike them in my drinks. Call me fussy. I like your understanding with bugs, makes sense, and I feel is a straightforward way to let them know what is what. Boo grubs!

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  78. I love stink bugs. They’re so cute and gentle. I see them when I’m sitting on the patio outside. They’ll often crawl onto my finger if I put it out. To contrast, there’s a long bug with a zillion legs that freaks me out. We call it a millipede although I’m not sure that’s correct. Those suckers can move! I love sitting outside with a beverage – coffee in the am and wine or a cocktail in the pm. The only bad part is that we’re away from the cats and the bunny. They usually sit in the sunroom where they can see/hear us through the sliding screen door. ❤️

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    • The Travel Architect, our stink bugs get inside the house which is where the problem is. They’re free to do whatever they want outside. You get them to come to you? Fascinating. Ours are more flitty than focused on people.

      We call those bugs millipedes, too. I don’t much care for them but rarely see them. It’s sweet that your cats and bunny watch you from afar, checking in on you. I like your choices of outside beverages.

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  79. I see a few of those bugs here and there. Do they actually stink?

    My nemesis are wasps. They eat/kill/murder my monarch caterpillars so I’m always on a rampage with them! I have one of those battery operated swatters that zaps them and it brings me so much pleasure. If I don’t have that at hand, I pull off a flip flop and SWAT them to death. 🙂 You should get Zen Den a zapper; that would be a gift he’d love.

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    • Suz, when squished stink bugs stink. The scent gets on your fingers even though you use TP when handling them.

      I don’t like wasps. We don’t get too many here. I didn’t know they kill butterfly caterpillars and now I dislike them more. I know of those battery operated swatters, but have never used one. You’re right, Z-D might like on of those. 🤔

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  83. Stink bugs! I wrote a poem about them once, but here in the UK we call them shield bugs (if they were shield bugs in America would you warm to them any more Ally? 🤣)

    I’m not at all a fan of mosquitoes for obvious reasons and these are probably the only bugs I kill without remorse (& perhaps an angry wasp), but we recently had an infestation of ants. I like ants, clever little things, but I tried every natural trick in the book & when we couldn’t deter them from marching their merry way across our kitchen counter & into our cupboards hubby had to get the ant killer out ☹️

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