Wednesday, June 14, 2017

little rascal...

So I am cooling off in bed last night watching a video on my tablet computer with Pepino blowing right on me when I notice an itch on my right shoulder...and find a small welt.  A little while later it happens again...and I knew immediately what was going on.  Quickly found a conenose beetle lurking just under my pillow.  Had he waited til I went to sleep and not been so impatient to feed on me, he could have nailed me several more times overnight.  A Bic lighter ended his feeding frenzy.  From my cowboy poem I uploaded 8 years ago...

The worst critter I found
since I came to this town
the conenose beetle that you never see.
He bites you at night
then poops on the bite
adding insult to injury.
100,104,73,0,B

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Does this happen very often?

John Wells said...

I usually get nibbled on by a conenose a couple times a year...

Unknown said...

I guess that's not a deal breaker ... but it's close!

Mark Nanneman said...

Any concern about Chagas disease?

Something bit me on my lip one night (in Missouri) after I'd read about the kissing bug and Chagas disease. I'd seen box elder beetles all over the place lately and mistook them for the kissing bug and panicked for a bit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagas_disease

John Wells said...

It is really only a concern in South and Central America. While some cases are reported in the US, it is rare that they are vectors for the disease in very dry climates.

Margery Billd said...

Ish. Ugh. I have seen those or similar outside in the past but none in the house that I remember. I might have had a bite in the past and saw a round thing (might have come in a pkg. in the mail) in a bed I no longer slept in??? I think in the past I had a mosquito bite or two. Snakes have been my problem here, flies sometimes too. But this morning I saw 5-6 Zircadas flying in the front yard. They once flew up my dress here and I had a nasty bite. The wasps have never bitten me here. I do not bother them and they have not bothered me. Then there was the Cougar going after a Shepherd years ago but when he heard my voice, he left. TY for warning us about this bug problem.

Margery Billd said...

Yes, a beautiful white Fox came up to greet me at night some years ago when I came home. Then there are the Coyote, Ring Tail Cats, Porcupines, Racoons, Skunks, Armadillos, Moles, Big black Water Rats, Big Turtles, little Rabbits that chew, red ants, smaller Wild Cats that leap across the yard, termites, big big Orb spiders that weave beautiful webs. I do not remember everything I have seen around and in my yard.I saw a Hawk one time.

Margery Billd said...

I forgot to mention all the deer here too.

Margery Billd said...

I took pictures close up of the Preying Mantis (green) and red Lady Bugs mating. These bugs were not afraid because they had never been around humans. Most people here have to deal with Tarantulas and Scorpions.

Margery Billd said...

Then there is the African Dung Beetle. O.K., that is enough from me.

Unknown said...

Geez John. Is this critter similar to bed bugs? You don't see them either. They only come out at night when one sleeps and bite the hell out of you. Hope you are not allergic

John Wells said...

Much bigger than bed bugs - conenose beetles are about 3/4" long. I am not allergic to them but it takes a couple of weeks for the bite to completely heal.

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh! Just be carefulfor the welts not to get infection. Ty to plant some an Aloe Vera succulent plant....if allowed....the juice of he leaves helps for a host of ailments...from sore throat to bites.😊

John Wells said...

Usually the problem with healing is scratching the bites because they tend to itch for a long time. Good thing about the bites I just got is that I can't reach them with my grubby fingers.

Mage said...

Nice words....

Janet said...

I've discovered over the years that peppermint essential oil really helps relieve all kinds of itching. It "scrambles" the nerve signals.

pamit said...

Here in CO I deal with conifer seed bugs in the house, all through the year. They are lazy fliers and occasionally they end up crawling on me in bed. Look awfully similar to your conenose but not related; they don't bite. --I did get a tick bite while attending a horse show in GA recently, oddly enough the tick was attached but dead. Turned out to be a Lone Star tick and lordamighty did that bite itch.

In the end, the insects will triumph over us. No doubt.

Jim said...

Joe found one in his trailer at the Rusty Can last time we were there. It was near full grown. They have to have blood meal to molt, having 5 molts to reach adulthood. Nasty critters.

Forrest said...
This comment has been removed by the author.