Mayflies & Blisterflies: Summer Pests

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

MAYFLIES & BLISTERFLIES: SUMMER PESTS

     In mid-June my husband Monte and I spent a week in Lakeside, Ohio, at what is known as The Chautauqua on Lake Erie. My son was a delegate at an Ohio  United Methodist Church conference, and was staying in accommodations that would allow us to visit him while he was there.

      Just about the time we were leaving Lakeside, the mayflies were arriving.

     While traveling and during our visit, I was reviewing the chapters I have written in my historic romance novel, Intertwined Love, which included information on a summer pest in Philadelphia, the blisterfly.

     I cannot help but write about the similarities and the differences between the summer infestations of insects in 2010 Lakeside and 1791 Philadelphia.

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Mayflies usually live for 24-72 hours. Don’t forget that they’ve already spent 1-2 years on the bottom of the lake as a

There’s a Bug (Moth) In Carolyn’s Ear

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

NEW CONTEST!

MONTHLY PRIZE FOR COMMENTS

     CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS is awarding a monthly prize to the reader making the most comments at www.carolyncholland.wordpress.com. To be eligible for the prize, comment on any post. The more comments you post, the greater chance you have of being the winner.

     The first prize, to be announced on December 3, 2009, will be awarded to the reader who made the most comments on during November. The winner will be notified by E-mail. In the event of a tie, a name will be drawn. Winners will be listed on this page. 

     Thank you for your loyalty to my writing site.      Carolyn C. Holland

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THERE’S A BUG (MOTH) IN CAROLYN’S EAR

By Cochran Cornell, the Cantankerous Cockroach 

After my very early morning experience when a moth flew in my ear, I invited my cartoon character Cochran Cornell the Cantankerous Cockroach to tell all you good folks the story from his point of view.  

     Last night, my creator, Carolyn, came up with a new definition for the phrase “You have a bug in your ear!”

     It happened at 3:15 a.m. She was trying to sleep, lying on her side, with her cat Honey resting on her shoulder and purring loudly in her ear. Suddenly, she jumped up, startling Honey and dumping her off the bed. Something was in

Don’t let the bed bugs bite…

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

DON’T LET THE BED BUGS BITE…

 Good night,

Sleep tight,

Don’t let the

Bed bugs bite!

      A children’s ditty, but filled with history. Travelers used to sleep on rope-boxprings (rope woven together, tightened by twisting a wood piece attached to the bedframe). Several travelers shared the same bed. It was fertile territory for bedbugs to thrive.

     According to the Harvard School of Public Health, bedbugs are small, wingless insects. They are parasitic, and seek out the nests of warm-blooded animals, whose blood they feast on.  Although some types of bed bugs (and their relatives) inhabit bird nests and bat roosts, others seek out human “nests,” eg., people’s homes.

     While clearing out information from my New England travels, I came across an article headlined “Couple claims room infested with bed bugs.” A couple was