A Funny Old Summer

[Gardian]

We’ve been here nearly 20 years, but this Summer has been quite different.

• Obviously the Canicule - for us down here it was more than 2 months of 40C (no exaggeration). It was very, very tiring, but you have to live with it.
• Secherresse - as above really, but it ruled out bbq’s, which was a shame but totally understandable given our proximity to a forest.
• Bees & butterflies - really good news.  More than we’ve seen in recent years.
• Gekos - for some reason, hardly any this year.  Normally, we’re overrun with them who insist on invading the house !  It’s not normally a big problem and they exit (with encouragement), but this year no problem.
• Tourists / holidaymakers - they’ve mostly gone now, but there were more than ever down here.  Just wish that when they’re out on their bikes, they’d always wear hi-viz & casquette.  Too many don’t.

Just my thoughts.

[anotherbanana]

Also too hot here, Guardian, beaches full, roads stacked with holidaymakers from Belgium, Holland, Lille and the Nord de France. Keeping the garden going was tough bit I gave up mowing and concentrated on the flower pots. Solution found with growbag containers into which I placed all my pots and just filled with water as necessary.

House was kept cool by managing the shutters and by my very big awning.

Glad it is over though as I enjoy a mixed climate having always shunned excess heat when in hot countries. Used to get to the beach at 0730, left at 1100.

[Riggers]

We noticed there were fewer Geckos in the Auvergne this year compared to previous years 

[Lori]

We experienced pretty much the same as Gardian this year.  Just WAY too hot, for far too long.  And now, it is chilly.  As I have said before, it seems as if Spring and Fall have disappeared from the Vaucluse.  Our neighbors expressed the same thoughts.  We may get a week or 10 days of Spring or Fall weather, but really that is about it. 

And the scenery on walks or when you head out on the road round here is of dry, terribly thirsty vegetation.  A huge amount of which is totally dead from thirst.  Not a pretty sight.

Tourists were everywhere up to the return to school.  Somewhat less now.  Mainly the die hard Dutch with their camping cars.

Also rarely see a Gecko this year.  What we have seen is FAR FAR FAR more mosquitoes...  Damn them !

 

 

[betise]

Oh I do agree about the mossies Lori, we were absolutely plagued by them, despite checking every possible place they could be multiplying in.  Tiny little beggars, but bitey ones, it was impossible to sit outside without getting bitten. We had 3 tubes of Apaisyl scatted around at all times, plus one of those clicky things.

They seem to have all gone now though, bliss!

[Lori]

We had to buy a tonnelle and add mosquito netting around it just to be able to sit outside in the Cour.  When I go out there to clean up leaves, etc. I ALWAYS get bitten.  Usually multiple times.  Maddening.

 

[Judith]

Fewer gheckos indeed, and cyclists not wearing hi viz who are NOT visitors, they drive just as badly round here!

[menthe]

5 hours ago, betise said:

Oh I do agree about the mossies Lori, we were absolutely plagued by them, despite checking every possible place they could be multiplying in.  Tiny little beggars, but bitey ones, it was impossible to sit outside without getting bitten. We had 3 tubes of Apaisyl scatted around at all times, plus one of those clicky things.

They seem to have all gone now though, bliss!

Betise, where do you buy Apaisyl?  Someone left a gel of this in the gîte I was in and I took the liberty of appropriating it!!  Confession time...gulp.  I am thinking of taking the now flattened tube to the pharmacien to ask him but, if I could get it elsewhere, then I can compare prices?

Thanks Betise.

[Lori]

You can buy Apaisyl at any pharmacie.  You don't need a prescription.  Just ask for it.  It works fairly well.  🙂

Edited September 28, 2022 by Lori

[menthe]

Thanks, Lori.  I find it very soothing for bites.  It gives a nice, cooling effect and takes the worse of the itch off.  Up to now, I have been using a steroid cream but that does need a prescription.

[betise]

The trick with Apaisyl is to apply it as soon as you notice that you have been bitten, before you start to scratch the bite. 

[Ken]

But you don't know if you have been bitten until it starts to itch!!! Apaisyl is quite good though. This year has been strangely  worse than previous years. No doubt someone will blame Brexit!!

[Harnser]

Why so many mosquitoes this year down your way with a heatwave and drought?

They need stagnant water to be able to breed, and the adults don't live that long, 3 - 4 weeks I read.  

So are they a different type or species?

[Lori]

If you're referring to me Harnser, we thought the same thing.  Dry as a bone all Summer here and riddled with mosquitoes.  I saw a heaadline about it in the local news, but I didn't read the article.

 

[Harnser]

Very few with us up here in Brittany this year, but loads of bees, butterflies and those fascinating humming bird hawk moths on the buddleia.

 

 

[Ken]

2 hours ago, Harnser said:

Why so many mosquitoes this year down your way with a heatwave and drought?

They need stagnant water to be able to breed, and the adults don't live that long, 3 - 4 weeks I read.  

So are they a different type or species?

Terrible year for mosquitoes here also despite it being as dry as a bone so I looked it up! It would appear that mosquitoes don't need stagnant water just any amount of standing water will do to breed. Even a saucer sized , quarter of an inch deep will do!! As they lay hundreds of eggs at a time just a few' puddles' will ensure a healthy supply of mosquitoes! I have a couple of large water butts in the garden for when there is a drought, no doubt they found them to be most suitable to breed!!! I suppose even watering plants could be a place for them to breed, they need only minimal amounts of water. Even just a damp patch will do!!

[Lori]

Terrible creatures.

[Ken]

1 hour ago, Lori said:

Terrible creatures.

Terrible creatures! I wonder if we simply kill every thing would the world be a better place, I don't this so!

[Lori]

Kill them ....  I can't even catch them. 

[anotherbanana]

Talk to them severely, Lori, in that voice that makes buildings quake!🙀

[Judith]

Plenty of water down here .. water butts as previously mentioned, never midn swimming pools ... puddles form an very quick overnight shower (doning nothign else of course!) .. plenty of options.

[menthe]

6 hours ago, Ken said:

Terrible year for mosquitoes here also despite it being as dry as a bone so I looked it up! It would appear that mosquitoes don't need stagnant water just any amount of standing water will do to breed. Even a saucer sized , quarter of an inch deep will do!! As they lay hundreds of eggs at a time just a few' puddles' will ensure a healthy supply of mosquitoes! I have a couple of large water butts in the garden for when there is a drought, no doubt they found them to be most suitable to breed!!! I suppose even watering plants could be a place for them to breed, they need only minimal amounts of water. Even just a damp patch will do!!

That might indeed explain it.  OH has been filling shallow bowls with water for the birds and the stray cats that come to visit us in droves.

It's lovely to see the birds splashing themselves in the water but I am not sure it's worth being eaten alive by mozzie?

[ssomon]

Putting a drop or two of olive oil onto each water butt should suffocate any larvae, if what I was told in primary school is correct.

Even if it doesn't work it won't hurt anything.

Shallow bowls of water for the birds etc. do no harm so long as you empty and refill them once a week. That wouldn't give enough time for the mossies to hatch, pupate and fully develop, which takes about 10 days.

[menthe]

Thank you, ssomon.  Actually, I don't think OH allows anything to hatch as he renews the bowls of water each day.  I was so fixated on those mozzies breeding in our garden that I didn't stop to think of that.....😳