There are Vampires on the Bayou!

  Living on the Bayou, I encounter any number of biting or stinging critters.  It never fails.  If I am out on a hike, I am sure to be accosted by some critter. Wasps, yellow jackets and ants sting the tar out of me!  (I always thank the Good Lord that I am not allergic to these guys!) Spiders find my intrusions a bit to their dissatisfaction so they often take a nip at me. Gnats, mosquitoes, deerflies and horseflies seem to find it their sole meaning of existence to feed upon my blood!  There is a never-ending drove of these blood-suckers out there just to irritate me!  They are like mini vampires!

  The other morning, I was met at the back door by the usual meowing of Ms. Nycto.  She wanted breakfast and she wanted it NOW!  When the princess speaks, we hop.  I scooped up a handful of her favorite cat food and plopped it in her bowl.  Once she was satisfied, I turned to head back inside to make a pot of coffee.  It was then that I spied  a couple of critters mating on the screen door.  Hmmm...those did not look like something that I should leave to their own devices.  Those were horseflies!  I can only imagine how many more tiny horseflies would be hatching if I did not squish the offending bugs...soooo, SMACK!  Both critters flew off in a hurry only to fall to the ground a few feet away.  I got 'em!  Whew!  

  I am not one that usually goes around just killing any and all critters.  I figure they have a right to live just as much as I do but if they are ones that lay a hefty wound on me, they are goners!  The horseflies and deerflies are ruthless.  In defense of the horseflies, they do not seem to swarm but attack singly.  The deerflies, however, are relentless!  As soon as I leave the house, I am pounded by these critters.  Ever slap makes the feeding frenzy that much worse!  Poor Ms. Ez is literally attacked when she heads down the hill to do her business.  I pulled four flies from her ears just this morning.  

  Actually, horseflies and deerflies do not suck blood like most other insects.  Both of these cut a slice in the skin and "lap" up the blood. Poor Ms. Ez!  This cutting can severely harm a dog's ears which is where the flies seem to attack.  I do believe she will spend a good bit of time inside just to avoid these vampire-like critters!  Too bad, I cannot do the same but the chores would never get done!