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I've been seeing some of the squirrels that frequent my yard jumping around and flipping on the ground, somersaulting and in general acting crazy!
Did some google searches and found out the poor guys likely have a common parasite that makes them super itchy. Flies lay their eggs under their skin and while waiting to hatch they make the squirrels itch so they do all kinds of antics. Luckily it's relatively harmless for them and I guess only lasts a few weeks in mid/end of summer. You can find all kinds of videos on youtube - here's a great compilation:
My husband and I went to Marinette County, WI this past weekend. We were standing next to a tree when suddenly there was very loud "laughing" coming from over my head. Two pileated woodpeckers were only feet away from my noggin. I gave them some peanuts since I never leave home without food for critters!
On Saturday morning I watched an eagle flying over the Sandstone River. He hovered over me, checking me out to see if I was good to eat but ultimately decided I might be too much to carry off. A few minutes later, he flew overhead again, carrying a good sized fish in his talons this time.
I'm currently watching two cute little sparrows outside my living room window. They're sitting in a pine tree, bathing themselves in the sun. They're pretty cute.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
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On Saturday morning I watched an eagle flying over the Sandstone River. He hovered over me, checking me out to see if I was good to eat but ultimately decided I might be too much to carry off. A few minutes later, he flew overhead again, carrying a good sized fish in his talons this time.
On Saturday morning I watched an eagle flying over the Sandstone River. He hovered over me, checking me out to see if I was good to eat but ultimately decided I might be too much to carry off. A few minutes later, he flew overhead again, carrying a good sized fish in his talons this time.
Haven't been on here regularly for a while but have seen some interesting things while outdoors. I'll start with some invertebrate stuff and post more another day:
Yesterday we got a glimpse of a cicada killer doing a number on a cicada and dragging it into a hole.
I was also introduced, in a National Geographic-type way, to a species of wasp called a blue-black spider wasp. I noticed this wasp near a creek as it kept flitting around near a hole under a rock. Next thing I knew the wasp went all-out tarantula hawk and pulled a huge, struggling fisher spider out from under the rock and stung it. It then dragged it up the side of the bank a little ways but gave up and left it upside down and paralyzed after laying her eggs in it. I was pretty wide-eyed watching this, as the wasp was considerably smaller than the spider. I was waiting for David Attenborough to come around the corner and start narrating.
I've seen more monarch butterflies this year than I have in the past 5 years combined. Good news!
We found a tiger swallowtail butterfly caterpillar, complete with the false snake face that they display. Very neat!
Lately we've gone on a dragonfly kick. We have a butterfly net and have tried catching dragonflies to ID them. Dragonflies are the most efficient hunters in the animal kingdom because of their flight abilities. Each of the 4 wings is controlled with individual musculature, so they can hover, fly forward or backward, and raise and lower their position while stationary or mobile. They are absolutely amazing and it's no small feat to catch one (without falling into the water or missing 25X before catching one). Our list is up around 20 species so far, hoping for a few more before the summer's end.
In a week or so, we'll start seeing the banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata) spinning their web and lying in wait. Not sure why I love seeing them as much as I do, but I do look forward to it. They are like a harbinger of early autumn. Cooler days, crisper nights, apple pie, garden spiders, what's not to love?
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
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Originally Posted by NJmmadude
Haven't been on here regularly for a while but have seen some interesting things while outdoors. I'll start with some invertebrate stuff and post more another day:
Yesterday we got a glimpse of a cicada killer doing a number on a cicada and dragging it into a hole.
I was also introduced, in a National Geographic-type way, to a species of wasp called a blue-black spider wasp. I noticed this wasp near a creek as it kept flitting around near a hole under a rock. Next thing I knew the wasp went all-out tarantula hawk and pulled a huge, struggling fisher spider out from under the rock and stung it. ?
When I noticed your reference to "a Tarantula Hawk" in the 3rd paragraph above, I immeadiately remembered an incident that occurred involving yours truly and a "Tarantula Hawk Wasp.
I was sitting outside on the patio in Sedona, Az, at a friend's house. I was down in Az for a visit in Nov to get out of some lousy winter weather here in MT. I noticed some large flying insects nearby, but didn't think much of it until one
appeared to be on a collision course with my head..........
I had a magazine in my right hand and instinctively swatted it out o f the air---it fell down to the patio concrete floor area right at my feet. I stepped on it and then got a good look at it I was astounded at it's size and then realized it looked like some type of wasp.
My friend said yes it was a Tarantula Hawk Wasp. I had never heard of such a thing, and couldn't believe it's size. (body was slightly over 2 inches long and the four wings had a wing span over 4 inches.
I was informed that the sting is ranked to be number one or two on the pain scale of all stinging insects in the Americas!!!!!!!! The ranking number depends upon which
source on the internet you want to believe.
With that info,.........I took my drink and went inside the house.........I 'll take my chances with a charging Kodiak Bear, rather than have one of those things sting me.
(Go ahead, look up the severity of the pain level associated with the sting of one of these!!!!!!!
When I noticed your reference to "a Tarantula Hawk" in the 3rd paragraph above, I immeadiately remembered an incident that occurred involving yours truly and a "Tarantula Hawk Wasp.
I was sitting outside on the patio in Sedona, Az, at a friend's house. I was down in Az for a visit in Nov to get out of some lousy winter weather here in MT. I noticed some large flying insects nearby, but didn't think much of it until one
appeared to be on a collision course with my head..........
I had a magazine in my right hand and instinctively swatted it out o f the air---it fell down to the patio concrete floor area right at my feet. I stepped on it and then got a good look at it I was astounded at it's size and then realized it looked like some type of wasp.
My friend said yes it was a Tarantula Hawk Wasp. I had never heard of such a thing, and couldn't believe it's size. (body was slightly over 2 inches long and the four wings had a wing span over 4 inches.
I was informed that the sting is ranked to be number one or two on the pain scale of all stinging insects in the Americas!!!!!!!! The ranking number depends upon which
source on the internet you want to believe.
With that info,.........I took my drink and went inside the house.........I 'll take my chances with a charging Kodiak Bear, rather than have one of those things sting me.
(Go ahead, look up the severity of the pain level associated with the sting of one of these!!!!!!!
Hey Montana Griz, I'm familiar with that pain index (Schmidt scale index) and yes I've read that the tarantula hawk is nothing to mess with, right up there with the bullet ant which is at the top of the index. Not sure I'd take the Kodiak bear over it (I'd have to have my poopin' pants on for that one). Here in NJ our most painful sting comes from the velvet ant, affectionately known to the locals as 'cow killers'. They're actually a wasp (females are wingless) and do look rather scary. There's a guy on the internet who goes by 'Coyote Peterson' who makes videos of himself being bitten and stung by a variety of creatures. At first I dismissed him as just being a few fries short of a happy meal, but I have to admit that these videos are interesting, the buildup is a bit theatrical but I'm pretty confident that his reaction is genuine. I've linked a few for you to see:
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
2,308 posts, read 4,122,467 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJmmadude
Hey Montana Griz, I'm familiar with that pain index (Schmidt scale index) and yes I've read that the tarantula hawk is nothing to mess with, right up there with the bullet ant which is at the top of the index. Not sure I'd take the Kodiak bear over it (I'd have to have my poopin' pants on for that one). Here in NJ our most painful sting comes from the velvet ant, affectionately known to the locals as 'cow killers'. They're actually a wasp (females are wingless) and do look rather scary. There's a guy on the internet who goes by 'Coyote Peterson' who makes videos of himself being bitten and stung by a variety of creatures. At first I dismissed him as just being a few fries short of a happy meal, but I have to admit that these videos are interesting, the buildup is a bit theatrical but I'm pretty confident that his reaction is genuine. I've linked a few for you to see:
......The guy in those videos definitely has a different mind-set than I do!!!
In my 85 yrs I have put myself in some circumstances that could, I say could, result in some pain and even possibly death......But, I also, in those situations, have had the "tools or means" to control the outcome, which so far, has been in my favor.
Allowing my arm or body to be stung on purpose, for whatever reason, by something like a T.H.Wasp will never happen.
On the other hand, being charged by a wounded Kodiak Grizzly (my 1st shot missed breaking the shoulder joint at 40 yards), and he was mad as hell and coming to get me!!!! Now that's more to my liking.............
I had 3 more handloaded rounds (.375 H&H Mag/300gr Noslers) in the rifle, and put a 2nd one in him at approx 30 yards and a 3rd at 20 yrds, and then he was out of steam!!!!!
That was 26 yrs ago, Nov 17th, on the side of a Kodiak mountain at 1380 feet, in the snow, after a 3.5 hr stalk from sea level and I was just short of 60 yrs of age.
Oh, to be able to turn back the clock and relive certain moments from the past.
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A few minutes later, he flew overhead again, carrying a good sized fish in his talons this time. 
I was astounded at it's size and then realized it looked like some type of wasp.
