BUGGED!!!

Honey Bee pollinating the Amur Maple

I am so irritated by all of the pest control companies that keep knocking on my door (I literally had 4 different companies in a weeks time) trying to get me to commit to their services.  With promises of no more spiders, hornets, wasps, ants, etc.

For one thing, I LOVE insects.  They completely fascinate me.  Even the Squash Bugs that wreak havoc on my garden each year-although I could do without them.  Even the ants that once plagued us when we were living in Jed's dad's rental, fascinated us.  Especially when Flying Ant Day Week came around each year (or Flant Day as I have also heard it called).   That period of time when the freshly emerging queen ants would make their appearance and begin their nuptial flight. The family room/back door would be swarming with clumsy new flyers trying to make their way out into the world.  If they would only have quit coming up through the cracks by the back door, they would have been a bit more successful in making it outdoors rather than into the tip of the vacuum hose.  Those who did make it out into the backyard made quite a spectacle.  It often reminded me of a crowd gathering to see a hot air balloon show.  We also had some pretty excited birds awaiting the arrival of an easy meal each morning. 

The main reason why I am completely bothered by the "pesky" control people and their promises of "no more..." is that we need all of these insects to have proper balance.    With all of the discussions going around about why there are so few bees anymore, I am sure that they have something to do with it.  I mean, you spray for one type of bug, another is going to walk/fly along and have issues as well.  Especially if you are spraying every tree and bush in a given area.

Don't get me wrong, we do fertilize our lawn with certain grub eliminators.  And we remove a hornets nest when it is dangerously close to where our kids are playing.  Not to mention the exterior perimeter foundation spray that Jed applies to keep the majority of spiders outside.  But really, every bug in my yard has a part and if they are not interfering with the welfare of my family, they are welcome to stay.
Especially the lovely honey bees that find the Lilacs and blooms of the Amur Maples in the spring.  Then, as their numbers grow in the summer months, make their beautiful buzzing sound as they fly about the Blue Beard and Russian Sage.  I mean really, what is lovelier than that?