I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Rain in FL = mosquitos. Hate them. But they go away pretty quick. The mosquito bites I would get in ME were unbelievable. Lasted for a week. The ones here are gone in a couple hours.  We are getting boomers right now and they are medium strong. Not roof raisers just window shakers.

Barbara

Maine Mosquitoes.  I really do believe each Mosquito there is SO larege  & Powerful - each had a name.  Almost as bad here in western ma - from early May to mid june - is Black Fly - YIKES!  We didn't have those in MD - and in London, we didn't even have screens on the windows!

Maine mosquitoes, are, IMHO, a different "breed."

Bren, I had to giggle about your post re snakes.  DH warned me there are a pair in our shed so not to be startled if I encountered them.  I forgot all about this when I was in the shed earlier and if they hadn't avoided me I might have had my stress test a day early - just a pair of garter snakes so they wouldn't hurt me.  Do you have poisonous ones?

Teehee Ellie!

My friend DebC from Alaska used to say the mosquitoes were the state bird of Alaska!

The mosquitoes here are tiny black things .. almost like gnats.

Bren

So nice to see you, Ellie!

L

Bren -- Just beautiful!  The pups must love walking with you (okay, running up ahead!).

River Rat .. I actually played the video in the link.  Why do people insist on playing with scary snakes?!?

That's why I don't walk in the woods ... I might accidentally step on a copperhead. 

Thanks for your kind comments gals.  The paths run all the way around my property .. and the dogs do love walking down there.  There are two streams down below and I keep the dogs out of the water.  Lots of turtles down there too.

Bren

Bren,

I grew up in the country and was taught early on a little rhyme about snakes: Red touches yellow you're a dead fellow, Red touches black you're ok Jack.  Oh, also taught to stay away from anything that rattles =;0)

I'll never forget the day my DH found a Pygmy rattler when he picked up the garbage can, it was not happy being disturbed. It was the only time he had to kill a snake. It came after him with a vengeance. Rather scary if you ask me.

Ha ha, Alpal.  Snakes can't read signs.  But, it does help to have a wide, clear path, so you can see 'em and avoid stepping on 'em.  I don't worry so much as long as I can see where I'm putting my foot and make sure it isn't on top of a snake.

It's been my experience, after nearly 30 years in a snake-infested part of the country, that most snakes really don't want to encounter people any more than people want to encounter snakes.  Even rattlesnakes and copperheads will try to get out of the way, unless they're sunning themselves and are half asleep.  Water moccasins (cottonmouths) are different.  They'll stand their ground, or even make a move to give the appearance that they're coming toward you, especially if there's a chance they might be cornered. 

With all the creek bottoms and wooded areas, we have lots of snakes on our tract of land.  They're mostly gray rat snakes (harmless but will put on a good show) and black racers (hilarious -- they'll zip out of the way and then stop to watch what you do), but also timber rattlers (a.k.a. "canebrakes"), copperheads, and water moccasins.  Nobody gets killed unless they're hanging around a walking path or near the house, and even then we don't kill non-poisonous snakes.

...with one exception:  Gray rat snakes that are caught red-handed in a bird nest or nest box, eating the eggs or baby birds, are shown no mercy.  I am a weak person -- sometimes I just don't have the patience to convince myself it's all a natural process ... especially if the prey is a clutch of chirping babies I've been watching mom & dad feed for weeks.  Otherwise, it's live and let live, even for the poisonous ones.

Bren, that pic of your trail is heavenly.  Looks more like a woods road than a walking trail -- how do you keep it clear?  [ETA:  I see you've answered my question... You use a lawn mower???]  Mr. otter spends quite a bit of time on our John Deere tractor with the bush hog attached; but that can't do the job once the trees invade a trail.  I bought him a DR Field and Brush Mower for his birthday a few years ago.  He was not amused.

otter (who of course is willing to eat the fish Athena doesn't want)

Otter .. I'm green with envy .. your DH has a John Deere with a bushhog attachment.  That is my dream. sigh.  It was a lot of hard work to clear those 'paths.'  I used a hand saw to cut down baby trees and the mower to run over the blackberry bushes.  It took me two years of working in the fall and winter to get it done. And the funny thing is, I'm the only one who ever sees it.  Sometimes my sis will take a walk with me, but it's rare.

Wah .. I really want your tractor!!

Bren

PS .. There's a John Deere dealership about 20 miles from me with a big sign out front that says "Do you dream in green."  sigh.

I know another rhyme that I taught my daughter - "Leaves of three, touch and see."  That's right, isn't it?  ;-)

Jeez, Bren, that was a buttload of work but well worth it!  Beautiful trail!

I'm with Alpal - esp. if they're SHINY - definitely LET em be.