There I was going for my usual walk with the dogs. Lovely, lovely SUNNY day . .remember the sun - big yellow ball in the sky tends to make you hot . . . and not in an attractive to the opposite sex way either . . .well not unless you shed layers . . . which given the summer we are having is probably not wise . . . tucks in summer vest.
So there I was walking along, minding my own business throwing sticks for the dogs (flat ended ones of course - don't want the dogs to hurt themselves) when I realised I was being followed . . . yes followed . . stalked . . . and attacked . . . not once but THREE times and then harassed for the rest of the walk.
Mmmmmm yes, no really - attacked . . . and harassed . . . berludy great big fly it was - all sort of buff/minky/mushroom coloured . . . about an inch long. Berludy thing bit me three times. It kept sneaking up behind me landing on the back of my legs and OUCH. It followed me for about a mile . . . then it got brave and landed on my arm . . . If I'd had my chainsaw with me it wouldn't have been so cheeky. . . nasty little . . .
I have no idea what it was - going out again in a minute and taking the camera with me . . .
I have tried looking up Scottish Flies, but all I get is fly fishing . . . sigh . . .
Honestly you can't even go for a quiet walk these days without being hassled.
Ah HAH - think I found the little berger . . . apparently it is rare - so phew - I didn't swat it . . . don't want a repeat of the berludy mussels . . .
www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_terrestrial_and_freshwater/Spiriverpa_lunulata/ARK006439.html?offset=0pt
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I am 53 years and proud of it. I live with Happy Snaper in our home nest . . now without . . children. We have two dogs (JRT and Border Collie), two pet sheep, sadly no more chickens, two cold water fish and 9 tropical fish - not in the same tank. Well the tropical fish are all in the same tank, but not with the coldwater fish and we now have a rescued one eyed Piranha called Cyd Fishus (think about it).
I run our small self catering business - known to you all as Cesspit Cottages . . . I am also a qualified Reflexologist - which I have chosen to give up due to having a disease which mimics Sjogrens Syndrome, but tests have shown isn't. I have a COSCA certificate in Counselling Skills and am also trained as a Stress Therapist.
I am lucky enough to live next door to Lixtroll - we look alike and sound alike and behave alike apparently and everyone in the village thinks we are sisters.
I started the Purplecoo site with Happy Snaper - very quickly joined by Lixtroll . . . so many people have thanked us for starting up and running such a wonderful site - I thank you all back - but it would be nothing without each and every one of you . . .
I run our small self catering business - known to you all as Cesspit Cottages . . . I am also a qualified Reflexologist - which I have chosen to give up due to having a disease which mimics Sjogrens Syndrome, but tests have shown isn't. I have a COSCA certificate in Counselling Skills and am also trained as a Stress Therapist.
I am lucky enough to live next door to Lixtroll - we look alike and sound alike and behave alike apparently and everyone in the village thinks we are sisters.
I started the Purplecoo site with Happy Snaper - very quickly joined by Lixtroll . . . so many people have thanked us for starting up and running such a wonderful site - I thank you all back - but it would be nothing without each and every one of you . . .
14 comments:
Oh...thought for a moment you had been the victim of a real stalker, horrid thought. Glad it was 'only' a fly, even if he wasnt a very nice one.
What a bold old fly that was ... obviously had no idea that a chainsaw could be in his future.
It is sort of amazing how persistent insects can be, how determined to do whatever it is that their evolution has decreed.
You are most kind to have not given the fly a big old evolutionary swat.
xo
We are plagued by horseflies at the moment, told them no horse here but they said that the horse vet will do!
so how come its me that get bitten and swells like a ballon and he sit smugly by!
Blossom
He obviously thought you were tasty!
You had me there for a moment too! As I remember (it's been a while) Scotland has myriads of flying, biting things ready to pounce on the unsuspecting walker. Even if it was rare, I think I'd have swatted it!
The Scottish fly
Is rather spry,
It tends to land on noses,
It then heads south
And lands on mouth
Instead of on the roses!
Though Scots are braw,
Not men of straw,
They can't abide invasions
Of flies and fleas
Or bumble bees,
Of various persuasions!
So that is why
They do not fly
To join us here, Down-Under!
Our flies beat Scots
By lots and lots!
That's how we steal your thunder!
http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com/
Phew!!! I was really worried about you there - good job you are not within arms reach or I might have had to give you a little swat too for winding us up!!
Persistent little blighters - but how do you know it was the same one? There might have been three, taking it in turns.
Seems there's an opening then: Flies of the Highlands - starting with everyone's favourite animal, the midge and continuing along the horseflies and hornets perspective, gradually increasing in size to the great stag beetles of the red deer forests.
On your way you might pause to ask why fly fishermen are not called anglers but more importantly why they never fish with beetles? Why is it always flies - or bits of animal like a stoats tail, or fish like a devon minnow, or even the odd bit of cutlery - (fly fishermen are still being fly fishermen even when they are spinning. Have you noticed?) But never beatles. You never come across a 'Norton's Carapace' or a Ladybird's Glory. Or am I totally and misleadingly wrong as so often happens on these occasions?
Edward and I have never been followed by a fly on one of our walks. We do, however, have nasty little stingers here called yellow jackets that can be a bit of a problem, but they generally don't have the stamina to follow us.
Slather on the old SSS next time - can you get a spray version to take with you to squirt behind you as you go?!
Pah, most of us get hassled by the ordinary mozzie or wasp but not our headmistress it seems !! flippin well been bitten to death this morning on healthy walk.
Just when you thought you were safe... you been tagged to tell us 6 random things about yourself!!!!
that's pretty horrid and furry, that fly. Not nice at all. Yuk. Am all unsettled now at the very thought.
Oh was worried there for a moment Westerwitch. That little berger sounds like the same that flew in through our window last year, I had not seen a species like it before, and was scary looking with this incredible loud hum noise.
Would be interesting to know what species of insect that was.
xxx
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