Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Harbingers of Spring - & - Learning to Accept My Power Animal

There is no doubt that flowering trees, shrubs, and perennials tell us summer is nigh. Inside our home the annual earnest ant invasion began. I am happy to say that applying fresh caulk upon the kitchen window ledge seems to have solved the problem. I discovered this trick a few years ago and much prefer this solution to using poisons.
Discovered on an afternoon walk

Another creature that likes our home are centipedes. They tend to appear in high numbers during early to late spring and again in autumn. I’ve mentioned these insects before and apologize if you’ve read these same stories.

At any rate, my husband remains oblivious to their presence while I see them almost every day. Years ago a particularly obnoxious crop of these creepy crawlers gave me close up and personal attention. One found its way onto the bedspread and trundled right toward where I lay stretched across the mattress with my journal. Another got inside an unlatched DVD case and fell down the front of my blouse when I picked it up.

Ugh…

I am trying to intellectually embrace these beneficial hunters. They are fast, strong, and nocturnal. What’s not to like? And it’s impossible to know how many harmful insects centipedes have spared us. My instinctual disgust does result in crushing a specimen here and there.

Have you ever witnessed a housecat gleefully fling a centipede about? Can you suggest how I might overcome my revulsion?

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21 comments:

  1. There are critters that need to stay outside and ants are at the top of that list. It's that time of year again indeed. I did chuckle at the cat tossing around the centipede. That would be most entertaining to watch.

    Chalk does work very well at keeping the ants out.

    Have a fabulous day, my friend. ♥

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    1. Thanks for the kind words. ~hugs~ Watching cats with centipedes is fun and disgusting at the same time. Twitching, disembodied legs are really gross. :)

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  2. We don't see many centipedes but boy, the kitties can spot an ant from clear across the room.

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  3. They are creepy crawlies. I think I would have freaked if one fell down my blouse.

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  4. Beautiful tulips. Glad we don't have centipedes- yuck. Trouble loves to hunt for stink bugs though and boy do they stink when squished.

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    1. My mother could not smell skunks and, while I smell skunk spray, I may be like her when it comes to stink bugs. :)

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  5. YIKES...I do not like them, we called them 1000 leggers when I was young. Some are poison. Watch the kitties with them. But watching them dart around trying to get critters are amazing. Its fun. Lilly bringing skinks in the house is funny and nuts. Yes, I understand the centipedes are useful but whats not to like, you said it yourself, they are nocturnal...BED, SLEEP, MOUTH OPENING....That is what to not like. HAha

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  6. well, mom and me...we haven't looked that them that way. We will now.

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  7. Our cats will hunt bugs...then watch 'em as they run and hide! Centipedes give me the creeps too.

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  8. O they can be dangerous! Here we pest control guys, who do a neat job with some chemicals, which seem to keep these crawlies away!

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    1. I do believe these locals are harmless to humans, thank heaven. :) Be well!

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  9. I have trouble with centipedes. I don't like the feel of all those legs.

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  10. I don't mind most bugs, I even LIKE spiders, but centipedes give me the heebee jeebees|! And I'm not fond of Silverfish or ticks either. As we live on a tick area, I have seen my share getting them out of the cat and Dog fur. We hope you have a happy (and Ant And Centipede free) Day!

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  11. Your revulsion to beneficial Bug Killer Insects is only shared by me with Scorpions. Aren't some Centipedes Poisonous too? This would be mostly why I'd have a Creep Factor for them too, I didn't Die from my Scorpion sting, but it did hurt like Hell and I don't want a repeat performance. So, along with Exterminator Service on Contract now, The Man and my Teen Granddaughter go Scorpion hunting on our Acreage with their Machetes and trusty Black Light... those suckers light up like Christmas under Black Light.

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