Thursday, July 16, 2009

The Nurturing of an Assassin

Back in June, I took these pictures of a brood of baby assassin bugs that took up on my cucumbers. They were on the same cucumber for the longest time, but when they would travel, they traveled together. Each time I thought I could harvest that cucumber, I'd grab it to turn it around and get spooked by one or two of them on the reverse side of it. I could never harvest that cucumber because they always came back to it and I didn't want to upset them by taking away their little home.

I did start to notice this week that their numbers were getting fewer and fewer until there was just one or two left. These two were the only ones left as of yesterday and you can see how they'd grown and transformed over the last three weeks.

The dynamic duo decided to vacate the cucumber which I was finally able to cut off the vine, and now seemed to be happy on the leaf, yet I only saw one while I was out there watering this afternoon.

Goodbye little friends. There's plenty of work for you out there. Hang around as long as you wish. The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.
****breaking news****
The boy has just informed me he knows why dinosaurs are extinct. Apparently it was summer vacation, and they got so bored, their bones just fell out right there and then. This is apparently evidence enough to warrant going out for lunch and ice cream after our trip to the park tomorrow. I negotiated down to a picnic lunch, but said the ice cream sounded great. The Mayfield Dairy is right down the road. Ice cream for $1.50 anyone? We'll be there after the park.

8 comments:

  1. You know, my sister once had an enclosed terrarium with toads, and as they kept growing, their numbers dwindled... **snicker snicker**

    I love little one's imaginations... That definitely deserves a trip to the ice cream shoppe!

    We have a local dairy store with fresh ice cream for dirt cheap too! It's so refreshing!

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  2. Can I borrow the boy for the remainder of the summer? I feel like entering my second childhood, and it would be so much fun to share it with him! I think the boy, Granny and Otter dog would make a very fun/funny threesome :-)

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  3. That's an interesting theory. Maybe the boy is on to something.
    At any rate, he sounds like he's well on his way to a political career, the way he "negotiates"!
    LOL..enjoy the ice cream!

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  4. Momma_S you and I opperate from the same book. It's amazing how a bottle of apple juice can be opened in the morning and then the only thing left by lunch is milk.

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  5. Granny, I still don't know if I'd wish that on anyone. He sure can pitch a whiny fit. This was one of his lucid moments.

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  6. Sue, when he doesn't disolve into a fit, his negotiation can be quite good. Poor thing is just quite bored. I can't keep them out of the house all day and the girl ties him down with what he can do in the house. Boredom is good now. He'll be happy to go back to school soon.

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  7. Yes, School does start soon!
    Liked those bug photos, glad they are at your place.
    Rosey

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  8. Rosey, those are good bugs! You want them at your house!!

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