[uujudy]

Handie & Red, you two are a scream! Seriously, how BIG are these love bugs? Are they like gnats? Box Elder bugs? (talk about annoying... they're everywhere here) grasshopper size bugs? Please, please, please don't tell me they're bigger than grasshoppers.... I'm OK with little bugs, but big bugs drive me buggy.

Sandy, (you'll be saying EEEWWW) I don't mind spiders. They're working animals. They earn their keep. :2cool: I practice spider catch & release. We actually (here comes the eewwww part) had a tarantula in our bathroom right after we moved in. I was terrified (see the part about big bugs) but got it into a giant plastic ice cream tub, poked holes in the lid, and my husband gave it to his secretary for her son. The son kept the tarantula as a pet for years. And yes, the secretary was fine with that :yikes:

Does anything eat the love bugs? Do the lizards eat the bugs? (trying to stay on topic) Maybe we could encourage natural predators to take up residence... as long as the predators aren't too big. ;D

[gonzy]

Unfortunately only birds eat their eggs in the larval stage once they hatch they have no natural enemies. They are a little bigger than a mosquito but since they are seldom found alone you can double that size. They are very acidic and can make a mess on car grills (you will see many cars with plastic covers over their front during the "season". I have noticed one thing that they don't care much for water so if you stay in the pool the entire month of may and september they won't bother. lol

[redwitch]

The two together are about the length of a regular fly (maybe a little longer) and wayyyy skinnier. They are not frightening in the least unless you have a serious bug phobia. They are annoying. So far as I can tell, they only have one natural enemy -- cars. And they do get their revenge on cars by pitting the paint job if not washed off immediately.

It is sooooooo much fun to drive down the freeway and all of a sudden a swarm comes out of nowhere and smashes into the front of your car. When that happens, whatever you do, do NOT turn on the windshield washers -- you'll go from barely visible driving to totally non-visible. Then you're stuck driving 5 mph with your head hanging out of the window and just praying the suckers don't go up your nose (mouth will be clamped shut).

Totally worthless bugs. Not even cute. No malice in the critters. Just horny (I think Handie's descended from them).

[uujudy]

Hahahaha! You guys are a hoot! 1rnfl Mosquito or Fly-size I can handle. Let me see if I have this right... For May & September we just stay OFF the freeways and IN the pool? I can do that! :bigthumbsup:

[Barefoot]

I love geckos, the more the merrier!! :bigthumbsup: Occasionally I have to save them from the dogs in the Lanai and release them outside. If you have spare geckos, please send them over to the Village of Belvedere. ;D

[redwitch]

BF, I'd send you some of mine but I don't think my girls would ever forgive me. I'm really enjoying sitting and watching them right now with their push ups and pouch puffing. Gotta love what all a male will do to attract a female.

[Russ_Boston]

Red - In TV i thought all a single male had to do was - be breathing and dance to attract a female?

[Barefoot]

Russ, the lanai lizards behave a little differently than the Katie Belles lizards. Cuter too.

My dog-- a chihuahua/terrier mix-- loves to hunt anoles. He has got about 40 so far in the past 15 months we have had him. He just kills them and does not eat them.

My advice about controlling lizards on the lanai. Adopt a chihuahua. They seem to love hunting these anoles. Or, maybe, it is the terrier in him that lives to hunt small critters.

[The Great Fumar]

If your trying to catch them. use your vacume cleaner hose and suck them up and turn them loose in the yard................However if your trying to harvest them , then try a fondue of chocolate ....they are really quite tastie...

chef fumar

[Rokinronda]

Fumar, Oh my, our vacuum has tornado action. The poor an-oles would be sent to OZ!!

[The Great Fumar]

Rockinronda
I think your misspelling OZ....... Its AAAHHH'S ......
as in "their gone"...

anti little dinosaurs fumar

[designdiva46]

Thanks for your suggestions. I don't want to kill them. Just keep them from entering my house as they are impossible to catch. They are fine outside, I just don't want them in my house!

[zcaveman]

If you get an anole in the house try not to disturb him so he does not run. Get a dish towel and drop it on top of him. Then you can pick him up and take him outside and let him go. The wife does not want me to kill them so this is my procedure.

If they have the run of the lanai, you will find little anole droppings all over. Just sweep them up. you will also find dead anoles under the seat cushions. Either vacuum them or pick them up and throw them out in the yard.

if you keep your grill outside, be sure to open the lid and give it a few sharp raps with a handle or something to get them to leave before you turn the grill on. If you don't, be sure to remember Russ's recipe for lizard stew. Or have some melted chocolate or dipping sauce.

Z

[samhass]

Z- I haven't tried them with the chocolate dipping sauce. How are they?
(And you can't answer "tastes like chicken")