dedication and what is that smell?

[kevinkk]

In the last couple days, I have realized there must be a decomposing animal under my decking. There are fly species I don't normally see,
and of course, the olfactory issue.
Now, when I was a kid, I'd have sought out that critter for the beetles, I turned over more than one former furry critter looking for
the clean-up crew. No way am I now going to even looking under the deck to see what it is, I don't care how many Sexton beetles
there might be, or the carrion beetles, etc.
What changed? I'm not sure, but something happened when I aged to the present 60yrs. I'm just hoping it's not anything bigger than
a chipmunk.

[Chuck]

I think even at 12 YO you'd not crawled under a deck. Beyond flies and a body, you'd know under decks is prone to be called home by skunks and wasps.

Though the fact remains that age tends to bring a level of comfort via both avoiding discomfort and knowing how to do so while losing little. I've been stung over 4,000 times. In my younger years, I'd reach into the net and pull the wasp out. We'd get all stung up going through fields of flowers. I still go through fields of flowers, but the details of how I do it, so minute, avoids stings.

The nice thing is that while you don't know the taxon of what's under the deck, you know where it's headed. It's not scary or voodoo. You'll get through it.

[kevinkk]

I see, like the time I had read that you could grab a bumblebee by the wings, and it wouldn't be able to sting you. I must have read it wrong.

[Chuck]

I see, like the time I had read that you could grab a bumblebee by the wings, and it wouldn't be able to sting you. I must have read it wrong.

Yes, I learned that at about 4 YO; I'd heard that too. Someone was wrong.

Cicadas may not bite, but they can pierce skin. Ditto Ichneumons. AMHIK.

Conventional wisdom is a dangerous thing, particularly now with the internet. Some years ago National Geographic had a webpage stating that Bald Eagles cannot take off from the water. Rubbish. I lambasted them, and shortly after I could no longer find that page...but still, there are plenty of claims on the innerweb that still claim they cannot lift off from the water.

Despite all of this though, there is still a dead body under your deck. Hey, wait until it gets cold and you should be able to grab it, throw it in with Dermestids, and have a skeleton puzzle to assemble this winter.

[kevinkk]

Misinformation is certainly easier to come by with the internet, we used to have to get it in actual print. I don't think I've seen any
of our local Bald Eagles take off from water, but I've seen them catch fish, so I'd surmise they can probably get out the water, I have seen
a Monarch butterfly pull itself out of the Pacific when we were whale watching in Monterey, I figured "that thing is finished" until it flew off.
Freezes are few around here, but the bog of pitcher plants is benefiting from the influx of flies.

[Chuck]

Freezes are few around here, but the bog of pitcher plants is benefiting from the influx of flies.

Do the bog plants make it through winter there? In New England, our pitcher plants and other soft bog plants do not, they die back. I ask because I wonder if some in your area have a natural winter cycle, or soldier on if not frozen.

[kevinkk]

Freezes are few around here, but the bog of pitcher plants is benefiting from the influx of flies.

Do the bog plants make it through winter there? In New England, our pitcher plants and other soft bog plants do not, they die back. I ask because I wonder if some in your area have a natural winter cycle, or soldier on if not frozen.

I'm glad you asked. Here on the central Oregon coast, we don't get very hard freezes very often or regularly, all my pitcher plants, which are all
that's made it through the maturation of the bog, don't die back, I cut dead heads in the spring. I have several species of Sarracenia and the
Darlingtonia going, we do get freezes, but so far, at least, nothing has affected the bog. I don't think I've ever seen ice in the bog, although tops might get some frost.
I find the bog fascinating, pitchers catch insects very well, I've watched many take one step too far, and fall in. The only problems I've had besides
simple acclimation were the raccoons, cute as they are, they are a hands on animal.
If I try anything more, it'll be the Sun pitchers, Heliamphora, I think our climate is similar to their native, but that'd take a new planter.