Bugs in the Panhandle

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Fisherman, that's pretty cool! I've only seen a bobcat once in the wild, would like to see one up close like that. Well, maybe not quite that close.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

We don't have many mosquitos around here that I've seen. One thing we get at our current place are clouds of tiny bugs, my wife calls them "buffalo gnats". They are around for about 3 weeks in late May-June, they seem to really be attracted to people. We didn't have them at our old place (south of CDA).

Watch out for bald faced hornets, they are a little black and white bug, looks like a bee but with a white face and white body where a bee would be yellow. Nasty sting, I ingested one while on the atv and got stung in the back of the mouth...not pleasant at all!

So, good news and bad news, eh? Happy to hear the mosquito problem isn't as bad as I thought. I'll try not to eat bald faced hornets ...our dog is addicted to eating bees (go figure), so I guess we'll have to watch out so she doesn't expand her diet when we get up there!

Fisherman, how cool, seeing a bobcat in the back yard! Provided you don't have pets. We've got a bobcat in the canyon up the road; it's been spotted by several people, and we know our dog has seen it--she wouldn't walk past that certain spot in the canyon for the longest time. We know we have bears on our NID property--so we're wondering how our dog is going to deal with that when she finds out!

[Fisherman 100]

We have bear here also. Have not seen one in years. About 10 years ago a mom and two cubs were standing on top of some stairs that go up to the street. Our Rottweiler started barking and acting very brave until momma bear bounced up and down making a huffing sound.

My dog got in between my legs and continued barking. The bear did not seem too impressed and walked off. That is my sum total of knowledge about bear and dogs. Did not see any bugs that day ha ha.

[brokencrayola]

I have lived in N. Idaho since 1981. Bugs are not bad here. You can get smaller spiders in the house, sometimes earwigs, in the spring maybe carpenter ants that make it inside, or a small beetle here and there. Mosquitos can be more prevalent in some areas than others. they like standing water of course. I have only had one tick on me in all those years and that was walking through the tree in the woods in Colburn. I just saw it on my sweater and knowcked it off. Not even our dog has had ticks althought we use that flea and tick monthly treatment on her. Of course when I lived in the woods the bugs were worse than living in town now.

[Fisherman 100]

Thanks for the info broken crayola. Idaho gets better and better each day.

[brokencrayola]

I forgot about the wasps and yellow jackets. They can get nasty if you live out of town and if it is a dry summer. We would set traps and I usually kept a sprinkler going somewhere in the yard so they had a means of getting water and not being as aggresive.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

I'll try not to eat bald faced hornets ...our dog is addicted to eating bees (go figure), so I guess we'll have to watch out so she doesn't expand her diet when we get up there!

We have a dog that does the same thing, he curls his lips back and snaps at them 'till he gets them. Wasps, yellow jackets and bees. Been doing it for years, I've only seen him stung once.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

We have a dog that does the same thing, he curls his lips back and snaps at them 'till he gets them. Wasps, yellow jackets and bees. Been doing it for years, I've only seen him stung once.

First time I've ever heard of another dog doing that! I think they're addicted to the buzz. So maybe we have a solution to the yellowjacket problem in NID... We'll just clone our dogs!

[Fisherman 100]

My old dog used to grab a wood spider in her teeth. Curl her lips like she was grinning and crush it than spit it out. Yuck. Big old nasty looking things too.