If I catch one in a trap, I use pliers to pick it up and usually throw the whole thing away, trap and all.
The second thing I have a problem touching is a water dog.. or salamander. When using them for fish bait....again, I reach for my pliers.
I've apparently come across "icky" thing number three.
The tomato horn worm.........
I use my heavy duty work gloves to pick them from the plants, place them in a bucket and feed them to the chickens.
I'm pretty sure I heard this one growl.....
A side note... If you have a good source for work gloves, let me know please. I have a hard time finding good work gloves that are small enough for my hands. Thanks!
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Look at that little guy, he's got a horn, or is it a stinger? I have never thought that a catterpillar would bite, but last week when I was clear some of my poplars, I ended up with a few little green guys kinda like that on me, and the little buggers bit (I think)maybe they thought I was a tree. Maybe they had a horn like that guy, I have to have a closer look. Are those horn worms known to sting people Jeanie? There is something about a mouse thats kinda freaky too, I know you are not the only one.
Hey Mark, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one!
I guess it's a horn, they look pretty sharp though.
I'm not sure if they sting or bite, I've never really been bitten by one, but I avoid them when I can. lol
So far the ones I have are small ones, I'm trying to get rid of them before they get very big.
Wonder if the one's you have are the same? I didn't know catapillars would bite either!
They might turn into #4 on my icky list if they do. :)
Let me know if you find out what kind are biting you. I'd be interested in seeing what they are.
Hope you have a great weekend Mark! :)
Wow, that reminded me of a tobacco worm, except the one I saw (read: the one that scared the living #()% out of me) as a kid was huge.
Turns out, they are almost one and the same. I also found out this from "All About Worms" (google) which gives further reason to keep these on the ick list:
"Another issue with handling tomato and tobacco hornworms for too long has to do with parasite infestations. While the hornworm may be infected by a number of parasites, the most common is the braconid wasp. The larva hatch on the hornworm and it feeds on the hornworms insides until the wasp is ready to hatch. The cocoons are quite visible to the naked eye and they look like raised white bumps on the hornworms body."
Jeanie,
I'll take all of those you can collect.lol My bearded dragon loves them. Up here they go for about .50 ea. That one is a small one. I have seen them as thick as long as a man's ring finger.They will eat your mater plants like crazy.
Good luck
OTT
;)
I am with ya on one and three. I do the same with mice. The stupid horn worm I'll grab with a gloved hand, a thick leather glove. Those horn worms get big, really big. I don't thik I have ever picked up a salamander. If I did I was a kid and 40 years later forgot.
LOL....he's just a baby! When my tobacco crop is hanging the sheds to cure, they fall off the drying leaves and ya can find em everywhere. They get to be about 3 to 4 inches long and 3/4 of an inch in diameter. And no...they don't bite or sting.
grothe
Wow Chris!! Thanks for the info... I'm definately going to keep my gloves on when I touch these things. lol How icky. lol
OMGosh OTT.... .50 each? I could make a lot of money. lol
How big is your dragon, does he eat very many in a day? I could put a couple of dragons in my garden. :)
You need a few tomato plants so you can raise your own worms. :)
Thanks OTT!
Thanks for that David... I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. lol
Gene, I can't imagine worms that size... yikes!
You need to gather them up and sell them. lol
I imagine they are rough on your tobacco leaves!
Thanks for the info Gene. :)
Agreed on all three! Eeewwwww. I do the same thing pliers or shovel.
For women's gloves I go to these folks: http://www.womanswork.com . I'm the same about little slimy things and cockroaches.
Thanks for a great site. My husband and I are just starting out with a small farm raising our own food and we really appreciate the information of those gone before us.
Mrs JP, you are so right about the shovel too!! I keep one in the back of my pickup, mainly for rattlesnakes.
Thank you Sally! I forgot about slimy things... snails might be on my list too. lol
Thank you for the link and the kind words about my blog.
Wish you and Barry the best with your farm. :)
I'm with Gene on the tobacco worms. They can get pretty big. We used to pick them off and throw them on the wagon or barn floor HARD...they would make a pop when they busted open.
I know, I know, that's mean, but we were only kids....
lol Becky! That sounds interesting... I might have to try one. The chickens sure have been enjoying them. :)
Never seen a salamander but we get lots of gheckos here and they are sooo cool. I try not to let the chickens get them. I agree on the mice, eewwwww! My #1 is the scorpions that I find in the kitchen or the bathroom in the morning, yikes! If I can sweep them into a box and let them outside, the chickens fight over them.
lol Susan, I agree! Scorpions are no fun at all. lol
I woke up one morning to one on my bedroom door. Aaakkk. lol
Hi cowgirl. I am still enjoying your site, working on my "cowgirl" smoke house and waiting for my Starduster Too, to get repaired.
Picked about 4 gallons of sand plums last week. Do you have a good recipe? you have so many.
Have you tried cooking / smoking your snails? bet you could come up with a recipe :)
Please keep the great work.
Hey is that you Stevo? :)
I remember seeing pictures of that beautiful Starduster Too. Hope the repairs aren't from an accident!
I have a recipe for plum wine if you are interested....
When I make jelly, I just use powdered sure gel and 5 cups of plum juice.
Hope all is going well with you, it's good to see ya!
Hi! cowgirl.
Its me, stevo. Yes, the repairs to my Starduster Too are from an accident. I was letting a friend fly the plane. he ground looped it on his first landing. I was sitting in the back seat with my arms folded when he landed and it got ahead of him. Broke the right lower wing and a few other things. I am waiting for it to be repaired. No injuries except his pride!
Still working on my projects, I may be slow but persistant. Will send pictures when finished .Still love to visit your site. So much information. You are an inspiration. Happy to see that you are doing well out there in "HEAVEN" :)
Yes, I would love your recipe for plum wine.
OH! YEA...Love the boots.
Take care and keep up the great work.
Dang it Stevo, I'm sorry to hear about your plane...but SO glad you and friend were not hurt! It sounds like a close call...
To make plum wine I put 4 cups of plum juice in a one gallon glass jug,
then add 4 cups of sugar and 1 pkg of yeast... swish it around a bit to mix..
then fill the gallon jug the rest of the way with water... swish again.
Place a balloon on top and let it sit for 3 weeks. Then strain and bottle.
I appreciate you stopping by Stevo.. it's good to see ya.
Thanks about the boots too. lol
Hope you have a nice summer!
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