I think that I saw a Eurasian Jay this morning. He was on the wall across the road and strutted around while I fetched my book to look him up. Fortunately I had my glasses on or I wouldn’t have noticed he was special.
Yesterday I crushed a big grass hopper in the front door. We thought we’d thrown him out earlier, but it appears we hadn’t. Olivier told me he was cycling along one evening when one landed on his shoulder and was enjoying the ride. I should have told him it was Jiminy Cricket. Perhaps he should have listened to see if he would have given him some careers advice. I told Olivier (again) the story of the time I was hanging out the washing and felt something wriggling around inside my t-shirt…
A week ago I discovered a European House Centipede (Cute, aren’t they?) in the bathroom, he was very close to where I had hung up my hair washing towel. (Thank God he didn’t hide in there). Olivier came to the rescue with a shoe, leaving a few legs on the wall – oh well. Looking him up (the centipede not Olivier) I discovered that he is a goody and quite harmless. They run very fast when they get the chance to.
Here is a tip: Don’t crush cockroaches. When Dom was on the campus last year there were cockroaches, fortunately they didn’t reach the 4th floor. Students were asked not to crush them because that releases the eggs. The forth floor was also where Dom discovered that earwigs have wings.
5 comments:
The Jay is beautiful. I haven't ever seen one, and I did live in Europe years ago - perhaps the wrong part of Europe.
I can't say much for the centipede.
Cas
My autumn will be quite busy too. Part one: Start to pack my trunks, after having discarded and given away what I don't take home. Then trying to see that the trunks get out of Darfur before I leave. To be sure to get them in Switzerland.
Part two: Unpacking the trunks at home with my wife telling "But this you could have left there, why did you bring it?". Because I love it. Writing final reports, mission briefs, attend meetings, wind up.
And obtain my last and newest diploma: Official retiree.
Cas: I'd rather see the Jay anyday. I hope you blog about your European experience one day.
Peter: I can tell that you can't wait!
Here another piece of interesting(?) cockroach trivia...female roaches only need to mate once in their lifetime, they retain the cockroach version of sperm for the rest of their lives, and can fertilize their eggs at will - if I remember correctly up to 100,000 during that lifetime...
***major shudders****
I HATE roaches...
bb
dawtch
Dawtch: I think that female kangeroos do something similar - or do thay keep a stock of fertilzied embrios? I suppose the outback is so large the chances of finding a mate (or any other kangeroo) must be very small.
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