Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Can it be? Greenheads gone already?




Seems like just yesterday I was swatting greenheads left and right, on my enclosed porch.


I have seen nary a green head amongst the flies buzzing about for the last few days. It could be all the rain swept the larvae away - whatever, it's great (although I have to say again, I hardly saw any outside the house).


Now I await the return of the swallows. Last year they gave an impressive showing out here, swooping and swirling around the cottage. Just a couple more weeks and they should be here. I was following them around Old Point Road like a star-struck groupie, trying to get a decent photo (I failed, but I put a couple on here anyway).


It's worth the trip out to the island to witness the awesome nature of nature. Read another person's perspective here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is great news! I never thought that one insect would annoy me so much. And I don't even live on PI!

Gillian Swart said...

They are very pesky, indeed.

Tom Salemi said...

They typically return in August, right? Or have you already seen the second swarm?

I think it's the highest tide that washes out the greenhead habitat. Then they return until the wash out comes again.

Gillian Swart said...

Tom, I've never noticed them going away and then coming back in August, but I'm no greenhead expert. The first summer I lived here, I hardly noticed them at all; the second they were more noticeable, and last year was pretty bad.

I connected the prevalence to the rain because last year it hardly rained at all, after May and they seemed to be worst of all last year. In my experience.