Visitor

We had an unwelcome visitor in the backyard this morning. My two large dogs had this little guy petrified, he was balled up just setting there. Not really playing possum, but not moving a muscle.
I distracted my dogs by giving them some dog biscuits, while my husband got one of our havahart traps. My husband of course had gloves on and rolled this little guy right into the trap. He grawled at us a couple of times, but surrendered without incident.

Poor little guy

He looks so sad, like he's crying

We let him have back his freedom by turning him loose in a wooded area close by.

                You Looking At Me

I was watering my plants one evening and this little guy came crawling out of one of my bushes. It was trying to grab at the water as it came by him/her, I have never seen one do this before. May have thought the water was a threat. It looked at me a little funny too, I'm sure he saw me as a threat. This was the first praying mantis I have seen this year.

                 Bag Worms - Yikes!!

These little guys (bag worms) can destroy a tree in no time flat. They make their home in a cocoon (bag) that is attached to the tree limb with web like fibers. When they get hungry they stick their little heads out of the cocoon and proceed to make a meal of the host tree while growing larger with more of an appetite each day, until the tree is dead. A real nuisance, the best way to rid the tree of these pest is to hand pick them off. I wear gloves when doing this, and drop them into a empty milk jug. If you throw them on the grown, they will crawl back the the host tree with cocoon in tow to set up house again. You may have to pick the bag worms off the tree several times. As they grow they are much easier to see. The first couple of times you do this it is easy to miss some. They start out very tiny. Creepy yes, but if you do not deal with them you will lose a tree.

Cocoon they live in

If you look closely you can see the black head sticking out

This one is really coming out for it's meal

Trying to crawl out of the jug, with cocoon in tow

Look how many, I'm starting to get the creeps!

                        Frog (Toad) Hot Tub

What is a frog (toad) hot tub you may ask? It's a dog water bowl that has set in the heat all day and became quite warm. It was 92 degrees here today! Kept wondering how the heck the dogs water was getting so dirty. We were replacing it everyday with fresh water. Also this water dish is on my front porch, there is two steps to reach the porch. 

When walking the dogs last night, just before bedtime, my husband says you got to see this, bring your camera. So I jumped up and grabbed my camera. Remember it was dark so we had to use a flashlight, lighting in picture not the best.

This little guy must have been soaking in his own personal hot tub for quite awhile. Just to make it onto the front porch he has to be a great jumper. I had noticed the dirt in the dogs bowl for about a week. He did not seem to mind all of the attention and went right on soaking. In fact he even took a couple of dunks under the water while we were standing there. Show off!

What?

Nothing like a good soak

The temperature is perfect

I'll check the water bowl again tonight. If he brings a girlfriend, I'll really be freaked out! 

Critters That Sometimes Make An Appearance On The Farm

This little guy would come up on my porch for nightly visits, no doubt looking for some bugs.

                                             

Grey Tree Frog

Grey Tree Frog

This Grey Tree Frog was found on a downed tree limb after a storm, this was the first one I had ever seen and the last. Glad I took some pictures.

"Black and Yellow Argiope Spider"

   

"Newly Hatched "Cicada"