Spotted

As in "I spotted a Spotted Lanternfly in my garden today".  You like the little play on words?  Anyway, this is a low-effort blip.  I was poking around in the  milkweed trying to find Miss Thing when I happened to see this.  Snap, snap.  I blipped one of the nymph forms of this charismatic looking insect HERE - worth a look.  

This species was accidentally introduced in the US (in Pennsylvania) within the last decade and has quickly become a major crop pest, one with a special affinity for grape plants.  It seems to spread a certain amount of local hysteria with people madly trying to stomp them as if killing a species one at a time is really going to have any effect - especially a species that is very successful at reproduction.  This large plant hopper is native to China and Vietnam and is only recently starting to integrate into the food chain here.  In the last few years, native birds have been seen eating them and this morning I saw a harvestman (arachnid) eating one.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that the larval form has been recorded feeding on over 70 species of trees and shrubs.  Perhaps not surprisingly, the Chinese Mantids (like Miss Thing) will happily eat Spotted Lanternflies.

One of my besties ended up getting sick and so it was only three of us this weekend.  We tried to make up for Ellen's absence with lots of laughter and silliness.  A lot of wine was consumed although none by me (yes, I missed it).  Just as we were contemplating starting dinner, the power went out (not a cloud in the sky so who knows what the hell happened).  A quick look at the power company's website to learn that it was expected to be restored around 9 PM.  Having no access to the oven, we had a moment of consternation before Kura suggested we grill the salmon on our gas grill. Although dinner was prepared and eaten by torchlight, it all came together perfectly.  

After everyone left this afternoon, Jax and I had a long nap and now we are just waiting for Hubs to get home from his weekend at the track.  

Had a brownie today instead of the usual dark chocolate.