Clegs have wonderful compound eyes. The way that they refract light gives a multitude of colours. But they are undoubtedly nasty biters. Allergic reactions to their bites is not uncommon. My other half has the same problem as oldchippy - a simple bite turns into quite a swelling.
Horseflies have been really bad this year (West Somerset) they seem to have gone over now hopefully as I haven't seen one for about 2 weeks. It must have been the really hot weather that suited them. Are they actually worse where there are are a lot of animals, sheep, beef animals, horses. I am an animal / nature lover but I react badly to their bites, they are so quiet and so sly.... If I manage to see one alight on me it is DEAD!!!!.... sorry.
Its instant hospital for me if I get stung by a wasp but they do actually play quite an important role in the garden in that they will eat a lot of the garden pests that damage our plants. As long as I know where they are and I steer well clear we have an uneasy truce! Mind you I did take exception to them 'eating' my shed door whilst they were foraging for wood for their nest.
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
Wasps do have a aprt to play in our ecology: amongst other things they prey on Crane Flies (Daddy Longlegs) which emerge from the grub we know as 'leatherjackets' that live in our gardens (particularly lawns) and eat the roots of plants.
When our kids were little we used to like to sit in the garden to have tea on late summer sunny days but the wasps were a real nuisance at that time of year so we took to putting the table close to a Fennel that was in flower which solved the problem. The wasps would far rather have the nectar from fennel that our jam butties.
Am I one of the few people who like wasps! I do appreciate that some people have a bad reaction to their sting but I'm fortunate that it's not a problem for me. I have actually started making a little feeding station for them which also keeps them away from places I might want to sit and eat. Their nests are really beautiful and I like watching them harvesting wood for them.
Only problem is - I've put it in the bit where I'm currently working on the shed base and fence!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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Seems to be a good year for Horsefly. I have been bitten and so has all my family this year. Sore when they do!
Horseflies and mozzies are the 2 things that get instant death here
In the sticks near Peterborough
Its instant hospital for me if I get stung by a wasp but they do actually play quite an important role in the garden in that they will eat a lot of the garden pests that damage our plants. As long as I know where they are and I steer well clear we have an uneasy truce! Mind you I did take exception to them 'eating' my shed door whilst they were foraging for wood for their nest.
Wasps do have a aprt to play in our ecology: amongst other things they prey on Crane Flies (Daddy Longlegs) which emerge from the grub we know as 'leatherjackets' that live in our gardens (particularly lawns) and eat the roots of plants.
When our kids were little we used to like to sit in the garden to have tea on late summer sunny days but the wasps were a real nuisance at that time of year so we took to putting the table close to a Fennel that was in flower which solved the problem. The wasps would far rather have the nectar from fennel that our jam butties.
Am I one of the few people who like wasps! I do appreciate that some people have a bad reaction to their sting but I'm fortunate that it's not a problem for me. I have actually started making a little feeding station for them which also keeps them away from places I might want to sit and eat. Their nests are really beautiful and I like watching them harvesting wood for them.
Only problem is - I've put it in the bit where I'm currently working on the shed base and fence!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...