My Airedale was buzzing?! And other garden insects
One dark morning! Yes fall is upon us and clouds overhead intensify that feeling. Trevor Airedale went out for his morning constitutional…. One sniff and he took off for the corner of the yard near the beehive. His barking signaled an intruder…. it was raccoon and this time they quickly left. They went along the fence in the neighbor’s yard complaining of …bark, bark.
I called Trevor in to check that there had been no contact with his enemy. He was fine, but when opportunity strikes; he needed to go and secure the corner. After his third trip, he came in biting at his chest and lifting his paw. As I came nearer, I could hear an insect buzzing, but I could not find it. I looked in his ears, tried to check his chest. It felt like fifteen min. of searching. It occurred to me how delightful it would be for me to call the emergency vet or later his vet with the news that my dog was buzzing. Slicker brush in hand I started brushing and indeed a bug fell between us. I never identified the bug as Trevor quickly ate that. It most likely was not the honeybees as it was too early in the morning though it could have been a drone kicked out of the hive preparing for winter. I had already killed most of the available yellow jackets, but to be sure he would be ok I did Benadryl Trevor. He went to doggy daycare groggy, but fine and lively by pick up time eight hours later. 
Parts of the garden are not allowing things to grow. Jeannie suggested symphylans, which are tiny white centipede like bugs that move down into the soil.
I was directed to buy inexpensive potatoes (I had already harvested my red, white and blue potatoes) and plastic cups. Cut the potatoes in half and place them white side down and cover with a cup to cut out the light.
On 10/3 we checked and found that they were there. Jeannie had brought food grade diatomaceous earth to put down. Hopefully this and a few more applications before next Spring will do the trick.
