Horseflies are ornery little pissants.

[Baitball Blogger]

I was moving slowly in the garden, trying to transfer a caterpillar over to a side of the garden where he would have a chance when I felt a sting on the backside of the right elbow. I thought it was strange but I held my ground because any sudden movement might knock the tiny caterpillar down where I couldn't see him. Then I thought I felt the beginning of another string on the backside of the left elbow and I moved slightly and saw a damn horsefly challenging me. Yes, he was challenging me. He followed me into the porch and I locked him in since he has one of two fates awaiting him. Either he will die from lack of nourishment, confined by the pool cage, or the lizards who have taken refuge in the porch to escape the hawk will git him.

So, how long is the life span of a horsefly? I need to know when I can enjoy the porch again.

[Chan790]

1. I don't know.

I used to catch dragonflies to sic on the horseflies. Dragonflies are mean...they'll snag a housefly out of mid-air. Horseflies are markedly slower than even houseflies and are hardly competition-level prey for my four-winged friends.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. It must not be dragonfly season yet.

I get gorgeous, vibrant green or blue ones.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

2. Horseflies can live up to 2 years...

You might want to consider a flyswatter!

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Or keep the lizards hungry.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

5. Don't tell me you have been feeding the lizzards!

[Baitball Blogger]

9. I don't know what it is they find in the pool cage to survive. I figure they'll

find their way out after the hawk's reign of terror. I hear it took a baby blue jay last week.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

11. We had a hawk tear apart a dove a few weeks ago...

left a pile of feathers on the grass. I love the hawks...but the doves are lovely as well. Nature is not always kind.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. I can't even imagine a hawk taking down an adult dove.

I'm guessing that they all get to this level when they have younglings to feed.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

17. Hawks are large, fast and strong. A dove is no challenge.

[Baitball Blogger]

18. Have you ever seen sparrows pest crows and even hawks?

Size in the bird world isn't always what it's cut out to be.

We have red shoulder hawks around here, they get big, but not humongous. Maybe three times the size of a mourning dove?

I've never seen a take down, except for lizards. But everything is thriving around here so I imagine it will be a matter of time.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

21. I should have said,... the hawks here are huge

Sparrows would pest elephants if they took it into their feathery heads to do so!

[Baitball Blogger]

25. I did see one up close after I posted.

He was in my front yard as I went out to get the mail. They are bigger up close. This one had long legs. I told him that he should go. So he left.

I like the hawks, but, it seems so unfair that they're stalking my backyard just as the younguns are beginning to wander on their own.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

26. The need to eat as well.

Life is not fair...on any level, for any species.

[Baitball Blogger]

27. LOL!

Well, one day the sparrow will have her day. I do believe.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

28. She very well might!

[Sekhmets Daughter]

7. Did you find what you were looking for re: the SCOTUS case?

[Baitball Blogger]

8. No.

I figured I'll send the entire document to the S.C. and ask them to forward it to the right party. I don't think it will happen, but it's all about fighting the good fight.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

10. There must be a way to find the name of the case...

Who is bringing the suit?

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Do you think the Orlando Sentinel would have added that bit of information?

Hell no.

I wrote to the reporter for the info. I haven't heard word, but I won't finish my document until tomorrow.

Seriously, I have years invested in writing these documents, but the more time I edit, the longer it gets. That's why I'm going to stop myself on Friday and just put it all together and mail it to whatever address I have available. If I'm lucky, I'll get it down to four pages.

LOL!

[Sekhmets Daughter]

16. Have you made an outline?

An outline can help you not only organize your thoughts into something another individual can easily follow, but also prevent you from saying more than is necessary.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. I may limit it to explaining the supporting documents.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

22. You might want to send it directly to one of the clerks...

Decide which justice might be most favorably disposed toward your opinion...find the name of one of their clerks and address your writing to that clerk. Include a cover letter, with a strong opening sentence and statement. If you get very, very, very lucky the clerk may find it interesting enough to read through. If that happens, the clerk could highlight the salient points and pass it to the other clerks. The justices would never get anything decided if they had to read every brief. Good luck.

[Baitball Blogger]

23. Thanks.

I will follow your advice. All I can do is leave a paper trail to show that I tried. Too many powerful people are invested in keeping this all a secret. And, really, what chance did a minority ever have?

It's all about fighting the good fight. When I update my website, hopefully I can purge myself long enough to finish a fiction story I have been working on.

[In_The_Wind]

6. I hates 'em.

[fizzgig]

14. those are one of the few things i will kill, even if they're outside

when they bite me, it swells to the size of a saucer or larger

[Baitball Blogger]

15. They're just mean little buggers.

[benld74]

20. One summer at Lake of the Ozarks they were so bad,,,

I killed over 30 in a 3 hour span by the pool. Heck, they would even circle above the water waiting for ya to surface!

[Baitball Blogger]

24. I'm afraid to swat at them, because they'll git you.