May 17th, 2018

Can you see it?  The teeny tiny black specks in this photo? These black specks are not the result of a dirty camera lens. Nope.  It's not far away bird swarms either.  It's much worse than that.  Love is in the air.  LoveBugs that is.  Yuck.

I do not remember this from last year. Either I've blocked it out, or it didn't happen. Maybe it's not a yearly event, maybe it's only occasional years or maybe there are certain environmental factors that have to be just right or the planets have to be in a certain configuration but geez!   NO thank you, very much please.

They are actually called lovebugs and their amorous activities abounded late last week.  They were everywhere.  In the air, on the patio chairs, the courtyard walls, the house and car windows and lord help us, if I walked outside, they were even sometimes on me.  SHUDDER!  You know my bug policy: as long as you are a bug of the non-blood sucking variety, you are allowed to live provided that (and this is the important part) you don't touch me!  They touched me. Ewwwwww!

Apparently these bugs only live outside of their pupae state for a few days and in that short lifespan they have only one thing on their minds. Procreation.  They are oblivious to cars (the grill of Tim's car was literally coated in layers of them - gross) houses, people or shame.  They are not even remotely embarrassed.  The world is a no-tell motel for these guys. And I was thoroughly creeped out.

Maybe it's because of all those years in Colorado where bugs just, well, there weren't very many. The few I noticed were over...……………………………………………...there.    They didn't bother me and I didn't bother them.  But I do remember dealing with swarms of mosquitos in St. Louis and tarantulas casually moseying up the driveway in San Diego. I remember clouds of gnats and midges in Texas and these little ladybug looking things in Connecticut that coated the walls of houses.  The ladybug things didn't just coat the outside of houses, somehow they managed to sneak into houses and we would happen across them behind curtains or doors. Apparently they liked shadowy places.  

Initially it would be just the shock.  We would open a curtain in the morning to find a layer of tiny little ladybug looking things on the wall.   Afterward would come the icks and the shakes. The only way to get rid of them from inside the house was the vacuum them up.  Outside fine.  You stay outside where you belong and I won't bother you.  Inside?  That's my world and you are doomed bug.  

The lovebug season seems to have passed here thankfully.  Tim got his car washed and I swept the patio so the evidence is gone.  At least for this year.  But I may have nightmares for awhile.  Bugmares.   Now that it's over, I guess it wasn't that bad really. But honestly, for two days, I didn't go outside unless I absolutely had to.  For the most part, I am very live and let live.  I try to never judge other people's lifestyles or choices. And I have no business interfering in somebody's lovelife but geez guys, get a room!