STINK BUGS AND RACCOONS
I write murder mysteries. Most of y'all know that. But I'm really a gentle person, a woman who hates to see anything killed or injured. There are, however, three things I don't mind killing.
The first is ants. I will not tolerate ants in my house, especially on my kitchen counters. When ants appear inside I get mean. I feel the same about roaches, but so far I've not had roaches in this house, and I've lived here for 13 years. Hope I didn't just jinx myself.
Number three is stink bugs. I've never liked stink bugs. They cling to screen doors, windows, porch railings, bricks, even people in hope of sneaking inside where the air is warmer. They crunch if you accidentally step on them. And then they stink. I mean, they really stink. If you pick one up to throw out of the house it will secrete a foul-smelling liquid, a scent that's nearly impossible to wash off your fingers.
Two years ago I started putting water and a squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent in a couple of empty butter or cottage cheese containers and went on a stink bug hunt. I learned that if I held the liquid-filled containers under the pests they would literally jump in the water and drown. Yes, they drown, and I know it's not nice to kill anything. But stink bugs eat peaches, and I love peaches. Besides, the bugs stink. But I've already mentioned that.
Last week eight grandchildren (nine for a few days) were here with my daughter. I handed them water-filled plastic containers and sent them on a stink bug hunt. You wouldn't believe how many they caught.
The containers, well, stink, and I didn't want to dump them near my house, so I left them on the deck overnight with the intention of emptying them in the woods the next day. In the morning the containers were turned over and the dead stink bugs were missing. Hmm. Had some creature drunk the liquid and consumed the bugs?
Hubby hooked up a night vision camera the next evening, which rewarded us with pictures of a raccoon eating stink bugs from the container. In this picture both front feet are in the container. To this raccoon, stink bugs must be a delicacy because he's returned each night for a meal of stink bugs.
The first is ants. I will not tolerate ants in my house, especially on my kitchen counters. When ants appear inside I get mean. I feel the same about roaches, but so far I've not had roaches in this house, and I've lived here for 13 years. Hope I didn't just jinx myself.
Number three is stink bugs. I've never liked stink bugs. They cling to screen doors, windows, porch railings, bricks, even people in hope of sneaking inside where the air is warmer. They crunch if you accidentally step on them. And then they stink. I mean, they really stink. If you pick one up to throw out of the house it will secrete a foul-smelling liquid, a scent that's nearly impossible to wash off your fingers.Two years ago I started putting water and a squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent in a couple of empty butter or cottage cheese containers and went on a stink bug hunt. I learned that if I held the liquid-filled containers under the pests they would literally jump in the water and drown. Yes, they drown, and I know it's not nice to kill anything. But stink bugs eat peaches, and I love peaches. Besides, the bugs stink. But I've already mentioned that.
Last week eight grandchildren (nine for a few days) were here with my daughter. I handed them water-filled plastic containers and sent them on a stink bug hunt. You wouldn't believe how many they caught.The containers, well, stink, and I didn't want to dump them near my house, so I left them on the deck overnight with the intention of emptying them in the woods the next day. In the morning the containers were turned over and the dead stink bugs were missing. Hmm. Had some creature drunk the liquid and consumed the bugs?
Hubby hooked up a night vision camera the next evening, which rewarded us with pictures of a raccoon eating stink bugs from the container. In this picture both front feet are in the container. To this raccoon, stink bugs must be a delicacy because he's returned each night for a meal of stink bugs. 
Labels: raccoons, stink bugs
posted by Sally Roseveare | 3:51 PM
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