Danger lurks within...

This evening, I was out looking for crickets. Now before anyone jumps to conclusions as to why I might search out crickets on the Bayou, there is a perfectly normal explanation. I needed them for dinner! No..not mine..the baby mockingbirds that refuse to leave home. I thought by this time I would be rid of this extra chore but that does not seem to be happening. Anyway like I said, I was out hunting crickets. I was near the shore end of the pier when I decided to turn over a large piece of driftwood. This huge piece is right in the middle of the path and causes one to make a detour around the chunk to get up on the pier. I leave it there simply because it sits atop of a protruding root that makes me trip each and every time I traipse to the pier before dawn. It is much easier to see a three feet long by two feet wide chunk of wood than it is a small but hazardous root.

When I flipped the driftwood over, I found not crickets but rather something far more disturbing. There lurking in the crevasses of log were several Brown Widow Spiders! I know that these are not supposed to be as poisonous as the Black Widow but after having tangled with any of the Widows, you dislike them all. I received a nasty bite a few years back and since that time, I try to eradicate any and all I find. These were totally obliterated in a matter of minutes! I was disturbed to find the many egg cases that were under the log as well. The Brown Widow egg sacs are easily identifiable as they are covered with spiny looking things. Numerous sacs containing masses of baby spiders lay encased in webbing just waiting to hatch and populate the hill with minions of spiderlings! Egad! Just the thought of that gives me the creepers! When you consider that each egg might contain hundreds of little ones....eeekk! Now that is way too many Brown Widow Spiders on my hill!

All in all, I counted seven egg sacs and three adult spiders. There could have been more but I was not going to mess around searching for individuals! I killed the whole nine yards! I usually do not use pesticides but desperate times call for desperate measures! The log and the area around it was literally doused..no more spiders! Then I took a long (very long!) stick and squished the egg sacs one by one! The rest of the area was doused again for good measure! Better safe than sorry is my motto when it comes to spiders of this sort...shudder!

After all of this..not one cricket! I did not find a single grasshopper nor any crickets anywhere in the yard. I am assuming that the drought has caused a decline in the bug population (except for spiders!). My birds will have to dine on something besides critters this evening. Figs, tomatoes and a bit of catfood will have to suffice. Son ordered me a case of bug infused suet cakes. They will not arrive for a few days so I will be out and about early in the morning..birds in tow..hunting down any hapless bug that wanders in the garden. Perhaps tomorrow the birds will decide it is time to leave...I doubt it..I am beginning to think I will be stuck with them forever!!!