Saturday, May 14, 2011

Ick


Today I spent a half hour cleaning the woods of poison ivy. I picked up a deer tick for my trouble. I wish I knew which plants they tend to climb on. But I suppose if they are anything like the wood tick Gabe is looking at above, on our screen door, they'll climb whatever they find themselves at the foot of.



Really? The screen door? The inside of the screen door? You are one dumb bug.




I guess I've lost my energy for getting all squeamy when encountering ticks. The best I could muster was a tired sigh. I fetched a wood chip to carry the critter, and learned something new: playing with wood ticks is rather fun.



What amused me so was transferring the tick back and forth between the screen and wood chip. How easily the tick rolls from one surface to another! The way they grab on is somewhat like a monkey crossed with Velcro.

I'll be getting a poison ivy rash on my elbow in a few days, no doubt, since I let a vine smack me there. But I think it will be worth it. The infestation back there diminishes every year. Now if only I could say the same for the ticks.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gabe looks so cue and inquisitive. Beautiful macros too.

Molly said...

Maybe they transfer back and forth like Mario and the Koopa Troopers on chain link fences??

Pure-N-Simple Garden said...

These ticks have certainly been a problem here in NY this season. I pulled nine off me in just one day! Tick checking has become a natural routine these days. By the way love your blog, Happy Growing!

Michelle Clay said...

Hehe, thanks guys. :)

Adam said...

You'll have to give me the specs on the lens that you use for the macros. I may need to add one to my collection.