Gone!

The end of August and beginning of September usually brings a bright splash of color to the Bayou in the form of some yellow lilies.  A friend of mine from long ago, gave me a start of these lilies from her lovely gardens.  Although the lilies resemble Day Lilies they are not the same.  She had no idea of their name nor do I.  Ms. Twin was a elderly lady that lived down the road from us.  We had been friends since I was a wee tot.  Actually, then she was friends with my folks but the friendship spilled over into my life as well.  Ms. Twin..(yes, there were two and both were called Ms. Twin!) always shared everything!  I can remember trying hard to bring something to her as a surprise only to return to the Bayou with more than I carried to her! It was the neighborly thing to do..something that has gone the wayside with a lot of folks nowadays.  These lilies were just some of the delightful things that found their way to the Little Bayou House.  I always look forward to seeing the lilies pop up and beautify the area. They make me smile and let me know that fall is definitely on its way!

Ugh!  Not this year.  Nope, my lilies never had a chance!  Those dastardly old Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers munched them to the ground!  The sad part..they even ate most of the bulbs!  Somehow, I have to rid the Bayou of these critters!  It would be easy to find some toxic spray to douse ever everything each summer when they first make their appearance but then, I will kill every bug in sight.  I do not wish to do that..I like bugs!  At least some bugs! After discovering my ruined bulbs, I went on a rampage and killed forty-seven adult female grasshoppers that were in the process of laying eggs in my garden.  If left to mature, these eggs will hatch come next April.  Then thousands upon thousands of critters would eat everything green!  My gardens will be stripped!  The "Grasshopper Dance" seems to be futile effort.  No matter how many I kill, I cannot ever expect to get them all.  Millions more are lurking in the marsh and in the woods.  Lurking there to do damage to my lily bulbs (and everything else edible).

So, how do I fight this scourge that is eating my yard? Perhaps I do not.  Perhaps a rethinking of planting is in order.  Or...I could find some larger critter that would love to feast upon said grasshoppers!  Now, that is a novel idea!  Hmmm?  Guinea Fowl?  Chickens?  Ducks?  Geese?  Turkeys?  Hmmm?