Collioure_Bee

Was busy job hunting on the beach today (you never know where you can find contacts!) and one of those nasty black and yellow things arrived again, landing on a little girl. It's arrival caused much panic amongst me and the under 10's, resulting in me screaming like a girl and running the full length of the plage chucking kids behind me.

A local said it was a Boudon or something. The closest I can find in my dictionary translates as a blood sausage, boudin, but it certainly ain't that lol.

val50

who cares about the insects - I just want to know what sort of job you are looking for on the beach

Ewood

"nasty black and yellow things" probably a Watford supporter

Andrea50

When we lived in Montpezat, we had these. Very large and the neighbour Jaques told us they were the equivalent to our bumble bee. To me it was more like a small sparrow, and they are incredibly thick.

Whacking em with a tennis racquet into the woods worked, but once they had recovered I reckon they came right on back. They didn't last long though, and in August were replaced by the wonderful and not to be underestimated Aouters - wait till you meet THESE guys - harmless bourdon will seem like a butterfly ....

Collioure_Bee

Was looking for work as professional jellyfish lookout but apparantly that job had gone, so had to lay down and think of something else for a few hours. It was Saturday and the job centers were shut but I still had to justify a day off to myself.

That's the buggers, Andrea, harmless I take it then. Still scary just by the size of them. Have looked up Aouters in google and found nothing. Are you lot just winding me up to make me scared to go out? LOL.

BTW Ewood, that description could also be for your lot, didn't they wear black and yellow away from home for a while?

Andrea50

Nope, CB, not a wind-up, those Aouters were nasty things - They bit you, you get a large itchy bump, like mosquitoes, but only seemed to be around in August which is where we presumed they got their name. never found defence against them, save for they seemed attracted to Femme by Madame Rochas, so as long as you don't wear perfume, you might escape the worst of it. Failing that, make yourself a Ghostbusters style outfit from mosquito netting and arm yourself with Raid.

Might get a few comments in the Brico Depot but could be worth it .................

Ewood

"BTW Ewood, that description could also be for your lot, didn't they wear black and yellow away from home for a while?"

Good spot!!! Yep, they did, I've actually got one of the tops (given not bought). I don't know how far back you go Collioure Bee, but we once bought a highly rated centre forward from Brentford, by the name of John O'Mara. Bit like Peter Crouch but without the skill

Chris'nJulie

You are probably thinking of aoûtats, which are small harvest mites prevalent in August. They are tiny, but can cause severe itching and tend to hang around in long grass - keep it short!

Chris

Collioure_Bee

Orrid looking little things, I was expecting some sort of flying thing and have ordered a tactical ground to air missile kit from acme to sort them with. I won't underestimate these things though.
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?im...GB256%26sa%3DN

Warning this site will make you itch just looking at it lol, they are at the bottom of the page.

Andrea50

We also had couleuvres - grass snakes - as we had a pond and they used to get in the long grass around there - hilarious pictures of us got sent to the UK where we are all in gumboots in temperatures of over 100 degrees! Better safe (and hot) than sorry (and not).

Bon chance.

Ewood

Seems to me that the further south you go, the bigger the bugs. If my dream of moving to France ever comes to fruition, I think anywhere in the southern half is a no-no.
Had a tick on my shin last year, not easy to get it out without leaving body parts embedded. And this was in South Wales!

Andrea50

Best way to deal with ticks is to burn em off. Quick flash with the old lighter, they are history.

Course, not recommended for a long-haired dog such as Newfoundland, as you will end up with a fire-ball not a fur-ball, and also for any blokes (or women?) with hairy legs .............

Ewood

Exactly what i did, though apparently you can leave their mouth parts behind.
Yeucch!

Jazzy n Lol

Crikey! Be careful, they carry Limes Disease, which is very easy to miss as the symptoms are like a cold, but if untreated can lead to all sorts of dreadful things. It's VERY serious, so if you think you may have experienced ANY symptoms, get it checked out and INSIST on a blood test for Limes. Doctors are not that hot on spotting it.

BTW - the best treatment for removing a tick is to drown it in turps. They fall off without the risk off the head parts detaching.



Andy - you made me laugh, the thought of some big hairy bloke setting his leg on fire.... Lol does that with his moustache when his fag gets too short...

Ewood

Lymes disease crossed my mind, but this was on the beach on Gower, so almost certainly a sheep tick rather than deer. Do sheep ticks carry Lymes disease? Maybe I was a bit too blase about it at the time