We rode today. The boat ramp was busy, people were being well behaved, which was good. The camp host did not seem to be working, at least we did not see him. People were scurrying around the ramp like ants. Look in the background on the water. That's millfoil, it's reaching the peak of its yellowness for the season.
Also out today are the ground flies. We don't know what they are. They make round holes in the ground. I'm assuming it's for reproduction, but I don't know that. Look dead center in the photo. There is a fly and its hole in the ground.
After lunch, we went out to cut some more off the Bradford pear. It's putting out horizontal branches that are leaning on the arborvitae. We like them more than the pear, so off with them. While out there we smelled smoke. Then we smelled more smoke.
There is a fire in Riverside park, not that far from where we ride. It's near Bowl and Pitcher. Evacuations are proceeding. Division of Natural Resources is on scene with their woodland fire fighters.
So, that was today. We have frozen pizza for dinner and happy we are about that.
That looks like a Digger Wasp. It is Fire Season and sadly also apparently Flood Season in so many places that are now having catastrophic Floods after a long Drought, like in Texas.
ReplyDeleteAmmophila wasp: sprinkle the ground with diatomaceous earth, which is nontoxic.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was going to say that too -- Ammophila.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammophila_(wasp)
I don't think there's any need to kill them. As I understand it they're generally only harmful to caterpillars!
I hope the fire is contained, scary to see it so close to your home.
ReplyDeleteI think fire is the scariest of nature's devastations with tornado coming a close second. Having survived many hurricanes they are low on the list. I have to get out there and cut down all the dead done purple coneflowers.
ReplyDelete