Fireflies, fire ants, cicadas, armadillos, and of course ticks.

I am at Brittany's house in north eastern Oklahoma. Brittany was my student last year and they just moved here. We were looking at the fireflies flitting around their yard last night. Truely magical. It is easy to see why some people would think of fairies. The real story of the insect is also very interesting. There are different species and they have different light signals. They use the light to attract a mate, however they use the light to attract other species to eat. There are mimic insects that do the same thing. I may not have remembered it exactly because the book is at home where I read about it, but it is a story of intrigue and danger. Anyway, Brittany's dad went and caught some and I got pictures. :) One has its back end lit. I will post them.

Now the fire ants are not so magical. While looking for the Bachman's Sparrow I must have got a few of these little critters under my clothes. I counted not less than 14 bites. They have turned big and red, have a pus head, are infected and very uncomfortable. Even with lots af antibiotic cream, pain relieving cream and anti-itch cream I am writting this at 2:30 am because of them.I have since learned how to recognize them and their mounds. The person I talked to said he gets them often. Ouch!

The cicadas continue to "sing" every night but Hannah no longer shakes every night. I have seen dead ones but none alive. A blue jay was fighting a mocking bird for one yesterday so they must be a source of bird protein.

Now, the armadillos. I have not seen any alive but boy have I seen a lot at the side of the road dead. They have poor eyesight and this might be a factor. There must be a lot of them to keep up with the rate of road kill. I hope I get to photograph a live one, but I read in Sylvia's diary they have very good hearing. No sneaking up on them. I will have to figure out a plan of attack.

I keep pulling ticks off me. It must be a fact of life in these areas. Hannah has had only one because she is on the dog medicine for fleas and ticks. Too bad they do not have it for us. :)

Take care. Donelda

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